The 30 best ads from Campaign Brief’s 30 years. 1995: Quit ‘Lifelines’ television

Campaign Brief WA turns 30 this month, so over the thirty days of June we’re looking back and choosing the best ad done in each of our 30 years.

There have been some very good ads created for the Quit campaign but none better than ‘Lifelines’ by Vinten Browning.

A split screen scrolls down over life ‘milestones’ for two people – one who tries smoking but quits, the other who keeps smoking. Their ‘life lines’ are the same for the initial years until the continuing smoker gets cancer and dies.

As the screen continues to scroll, the non-smoker’s life on the left has highlights like travelling around Australia and playing with the grandchildren, while the smoker’s says ‘Dead’, ‘Still dead’.

Such a simple idea that encapsulated all the reasons to quit in a sobering, thought-provoking way. There was a version for males and one for females written by Steve Browning, art directed by Wayne Vinten and produced at post house Double G.

Run them again today and they would still resonate.

Runners-up, two cracking press ads: West Coast Eagles ‘IQ Test’ by BCY’s Richard Clarke & Sam Passante; and Chippers ‘Remembrance Day’, also by Vinten & Browning.

Obviously very different in style and intent but both examples Clarke and Browning writing at their very best.