In 2022, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids tasked our team with creating a campaign that would get teens excited about taking a stand against underage smoking. Because the event took place on April Fools’ Day, we developed the concept of Big Tobacco as the ultimate fool—embodied by a sinister, larger-than-life Joker character.
We created a custom deck of cards featuring anti-smoking facts and 13 original illustrations. To bring the visual world to life, we partnered with a Brazil-based illustrator whose style struck the perfect balance between eerie and cool—ideal for engaging a teen audience. One of the key illustrations was our Big Tobacco Joker, who became the face of the campaign.
The campaign website featured a digital game we coined “Joker Takedown,” a Joker-themed twist on the classic card game Slapjack. The broader campaign included a robust suite of materials, such as merchandise, display ads, static and animated social ads, and printed collateral.
Following the success of the 2022 launch, the campaign returned in 2023 with expanded gameplay and additional digital experiences that further encouraged teens to “take down” Big Tobacco.