Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States. Each year, an estimated 443,000 people die prematurely from smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke, and another 8.6 million live with a serious illness caused by smoking.
Child Abandoned is an Australian ad that depicts the agony of a child left behind by a loved one to reflect how it feels to be left behind when a loved one dies from a tobacco-related death. This ad created much controversy in the U.S. because it does not look like the child was acting. On The Today Show, the producers of the ad explained that the little boy was fully protected under child protection laws.
It turns out this commercial was filmed in one shot, the mother in the scene is the little boy's actual mom, and a representative of the child protection agency was on site during the entire shoot to ensure safety and legality. The end result? A hauntingly realistic commercial that drives home its message in a powerfully disturbing way.
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