Publicis London launches ‘Breathable Bullet’ campaign to spotlight the dangers of illegal vapes

Publicis London launches ‘Breathable Bullet’ campaign to spotlight the dangers of illegal vapes

Publicis London, in partnership with nicotine-free portable aromatherapy diffuser Ripple+, has launched a new campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of illegal vapes.

The aim is to educate people who regularly use illegal vapes on the harmful ingredients and toxins they contain – including lead.

While 5.6 million adults in the UK vape, 11% of the adult population[1], it’s estimated that up to one-third of vapes sold in the UK do not pass safety regulations, including vapes containing dangerous ingredients such as lead[2]. Publicis London has created a ‘breathable bullet’ from the lead content found in just one illegal vape to bring awareness to the harmful chemicals they contain.

The meticulously crafted bullet, which measures just 0.3 millimetres, or 300 micrometres, in size was made from 56.8 micrograms of lead - the same amount found in a single illegal vape. The striking symbol was developed in collaboration with physicists at a world-leading, UK-based university using advanced Focused Ion Beam technology to sculpt the bullet from a block of lead.

The agency has created a powerful 60 second film which dramatises the creation process of the ‘breathable bullet’, through production house Arts & Sciences.

Directed by Quentin Deronzier, renowned for his music videos for artists like Drake and The Weeknd, the dark, dramatic film calls attention to the severe health risks associated with lead poisoning.

Shot in a desaturated colour palette and set against an atmospheric track ‘HC Shiver’, the film depicts the meticulous process of deconstructing an illegal vape and creating the microscopic lead bullet. The agency has artistically brought microscopic lead particles to life to further emphasise the harmful effects of lead poisoning, such as high blood pressure and reproductive issues.

The film concludes with a dramatic gunshot sound which signifies the construction of the ‘breathable bullet’ and conveys its fatal impact. The film will be distributed across Ripple+’s social channels, running across organic and paid social.

Supplementing fly-posters displayed at various locations across London feature clinical and striking visuals of the lead bullet, paired with sleek images of Ripple+’s aroma diffusers. Shot by photographer Jonathan Knowles, the visuals highlight the contrast between the harmful content of illegal vapes and the purity of Ripple+’s products, which are nicotine-free and made of 100% natural ingredients. Ripple+ is stocked in over 1350 shops worldwide, including Harrods, Selfridges and Sainsburys.

Credits

Campaign Title: ‘The Breathable Bullet’
Creative Agency: Publicis London
Creative Director: Rhys Hughes
Creative Director: Barret Helander
Chief Creative Officer: Noel Bunting
Chief Operating Officer: Trent Patterson
Group Business Director & Head of New Business: Jamie Longstreet
Senior Growth Manager: Emma Tacon
(Former) Chief production officer: Colin Hickson
Head of Production: Megan O’Hagan
Production Assistant: Beatrice Icke
Business Affairs: Madeleine Neve
Director: Quentin Derozier
EP/MD: James Bland
Producer: Kwok Yau
Director of Photography: Deon Van Zyl
Talent: Zain Quereshi
Bullet Photographer: Jonathan Knowles
Bullet Photography Producer: Emma Harrower
Physicists: Dr James Gott & Dr Geoff West
Retoucher: Mark Wesley
Edit: Final Cut
Editor: Ed Cheesman
Edit Producer: Nikki Porter
Post Production: Daydreamer
2D Lead: Polly Gwinnett
2D: Yanru Yin
Motion Designer: Dave Haupt
3D Lead: Matt Fuller
3D: Alejandro Morote, Mala Lal
Media Assist: Jake Day
EP: Chris Allen
Producer: Eliza Light
Sound House: 750mph
Sound Engineer: Matt Valentine
Sound Producer: Tara O’Kelly
Grade: Black Kite
Colourist: Rich Fearon
Colour Producer: Jamie McCubbin
Music Supervision: Ronnie Olubayo / Theodore Music

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