A quartet of online video stars have a message for prospective smokers. Ryan Higa, Rachel Levin, Christian DelGrosso, and Jerry Purpdrank all appear in the truth campaign’s latest video, which channels Admiral Ackbar and warns that “social smoking” is a trap.
In the video, the participating YouTube and Vine stars offer up various rationalizations for why it’s okay to smoke. As soon as the words leave their mouths, various image macro characters show up to deliver a recurring three-word response: “IT’S A TRAP!” The video certainly panders to its Internet-loving target audience, but it also succeeds in getting its message across.
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Truth, which has been active since the late 90s, has partnered with online video stars as part of its ongoing campaign to combat youth smoking. It previously enlisted several of the Internet’s most prominent influencers for an utterly ridiculous music video called “Left Swipe Dat,” which reminded viewers that smokers get fewer matches on Tinder. More recently, truth used blaring EDM music, kinetic typography, and fruit emoji to encourage teens to forego hookahs and cigars. That spot aired during the 2015 Teen Choice Awards.
“It’s A Trap” will air during an awards show as well. It is set to run on TV during the Video Music Awards, which will be broadcast on MTV on August 30th. By presenting its latest anti-smoking crusade to as many viewers as possible, Truth is hoping memes can finish the job of ending youth smoking for good. That mission is worthy of a Good Guy Greg for sure.
