# Fatal Crotch Campaigns Controversial French Anti-Smoking Ads Cause Uproar By Meghan Young | Published 2010-02-25 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/french-anti-smoking-ads References: [perezhilton](http://perezhilton.com/2010-02-24-because-oral-sex-is-exactly-like-smoking-a-cigarette) & [abcnews.go](http://abcnews.go.com/International/sexual-slavery-tobacco-compared-anti-smoking-ad/story?id=9930540&page=1) When I first stumbled upon these French anti-smoking ads, I thought it was some sort of prank or gimmick -- very similar to that [fake Sprite ad](http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fake-oral-commercials-sprite) that went viral a few months ago. But alas, this one is a legit campaign. Likening smoking to sexual slavery and pedophilia, as one who is dead-set against smoking, even I find the French anti-smoking ads in bad taste. What about you? ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.8/10 - Popularity: 99% | Activity: 98% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Health](https://www.trendhunter.com/health) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Controversial Anti-smoking Ads:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating more effective and less controversial anti-smoking campaigns. - **Pushing Social Boundaries in Advertising:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in exploring new advertising concepts that challenge societal norms. - **Shock Value Marketing:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating marketing campaigns that use shock value to elicit specific emotions and behavior change. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Advertising:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating new advertising campaigns that push social boundaries. - **Public Health:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating public health campaigns that resonate with target audiences in a positive way. - **Marketing:** Opportunity for disruptive innovation in creating new marketing campaigns that effectively convey a message while also eliciting a specific emotional response. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Humorous Mens Fragrance Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/axe-campaign.md) - [Creative Cancer Awareness Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pick-up-your-poop.md) - [Mock Social Good Fashion Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/not-models-own.md) - [Gen Z-Targeted Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/outsmart-nicotine.md) - [Tongue-in-Cheek Bread Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eat-avec-respect-campaign.md) - [Provocative Guerrilla Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mwcurated.md) - [Drug-Themed April Fool's Gags](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/innocean-berlin.md) - [Satirical Feminist-Forward Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/underpaid-women.md) - [Distorted Burger Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ailloween.md)