This spot opens on a wintry landscape. Five teenagers trudge through knee-deep snow, carrying bundles. One of several shots discloses that these are magazines, being dumped in the snow. A close-up of one back cover shows the Surgeon General’s warning label on a cigarette ad.
Cut to an automobile making its way over the snowy terrain. The back seat is piled high with magazines. A montage of scenes brings more and more teenagers, carrying, then piling, more and more magazines. An armature is welded with crumpled pages stuffed inside. As the spot reveals the completed sculpture for the first time, a young man’s voiceover delivers the first clear words we’ve heard: "Tobacco companies spend millions of dollars on ads in magazines we read. Why?" A vibrant super answers, "To get us to light up."
Cut to a teenager in the crowd, who declares, "Go light this up!" Jubilantly, the teens torch their 30-foot-tall effigy of a proud cowboy, made of all those magazine ads promoting cigarettes. The spot concludes with a close-up: a fire-ringed broadside, with angry lettering declaring, "They’re still targeting us."
Produced for the Minnesota Department of Health, as well as for an anti-smoking teenagers’ organization known as Target Market (TM), the :60—with a :30 version—was directed by Greg Winter of Minneapolis-based production house Wilson Griak for agency Campbell Mithun, Minneapolis.
The creative team at Campbell Mithun comprised creative director Rob Wallace, copywriter Brian DeYoung, art director Clark Lamm and producer David Howell. Teenagers from TM helped in the spot’s creation. "The kids brainstorm ideas and we flesh them out," related Howell. "We actually presented the storyboards to them. The kids became our clients."
Barth Ward and Clint Allen served as executive producer and producer, respectively, for Wilson Griak. The spot was shot on location in Stillwater, Minn., by DP Mike Welckle.
"Light Up" was cut by Bertram Cambridge of Uppercut Editorial, Minneapolis. Online editor was Steve Medin of Crash & Sue’s, Minneapolis. Colorist was Oscar Oboza of Hi-Wire, Minneapolis. Carl White of Minneapolis-based Echo Boys served as sound designer and audio mixer.
T.J. Powell of Paladine Music, Minneapolis, composed the music.
