This anti-vaping campaign turns toy culture into a health warning | The Work | Campaign Asia

The campaign zeroes in on the tactics used to glamorise vaping—peer pressure, social media hype, and influencer hype—while laying bare the very real health consequences behind the trend. Think nicotine addiction, stunted brain development, and increased risk of lung injury and heart disease. Even the CDC warns that vaping is far from safe, especially for young users.

While vaping remains illegal in Singapore, usage is on the rise. Between January 2024 and March 2025, more than 17,900 people were caught for possession or use of e-vaporisers. Among students, numbers have more than doubled, from 800 in 2022 to 2,000 in 2024. Offenders risk fines of up to S$2,000.

To break through the noise, the campaign leans into pop culture with a clever twist. Posters styled like limited-edition toy packaging reveal three grotesque figurines such as Popcorn Lungs, Addicted Brain, and Diseased Heart. Designed to provoke a double-take, the visuals mimic collectable culture while confronting young viewers with vaping’s darker reality.
 

The campaign’s short film goes a step further, satirising influencer sales tactics through a fictional livestreamer who peddles toxic “toys” with a smile. It’s an eerie but effective metaphor for how vaping is often marketed—charming on the outside, dangerous at the core.

Targeted at 18- to 35-year-olds, Don’t Toy With Your Life aims to shift the conversation: from what looks aspirational, to what’s actually at stake.

Credits

Client: The Health Promotion Board

Agency: TBWA\Singapore 

Production: Sixtoes.TV

3D Studio: WickedPixels