Mid-Day launches 'Smoke Free City' drive to celebrate World No Tobacco Day

With a three-week long activation, Mid-Day has geared up for 'Smoke Free City' in the four cities that it is present in.

Mid-Day, the compact daily tabloid, recently began its awareness programme to help protect its citizens from the hazards of smoking. In order to promote the occasion of 'World No Tobacco Day', which is celebrated on May 31 each year, Mid-Day has launched a citizen initiative titled 'Smoke Free City', urging people to take a pledge to kick the butt on May 31.

Over the past 20 years, on World No Tobacco Day, various organisations all over the world unite towards spreading the message of kicking the butt and leading a healthy life. This year, Mid-Day urges all to pledge and light up their lives, instead of cigarettes, and is also asking people to take the pledge to keep their friends, colleagues, bosses, spouses, and even shopkeepers from smoking.

Mid-Day has issued the clarion call to make the cities smoke free for 24 hours on May 31, World No Tobacco Day.

The three-week-long campaign started on May 13 and will go on till the end of the month, spanning across Mumbai, Pune, Delhi and Bengaluru. The campaign is being promoted through print, radio, television, outdoor, social media, as well as some ground partner promotions.

People who pledge with Mid-Day receive hourly updates from Mid-Day on how to refrain from smoking, or from the urge to smoke. These tips come from Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.

Posters and standees have also been put up in select offices in Mumbai, encouraging people to pledge and give up smoking. Some of the pledges received through SMS and on the activity's Facebook page will be printed in Mid-Day, from time-to-time.

Says Mohit Sainani, head, marketing, Mid-Day Infomedia, "Mid-Day has been battling for this cause in its own small way for the past five years. This year, we are calling out to citizens nationwide to step up on the effort on May 31, and pledge to keep their cities a smoke free city for one day. This is our first goal and we will continue with initiatives on these lines to make a difference and create an impact in this zone."

Discussing the initiative, Manajit Ghoshal, managing director and chief executive officer, Mid-Day, says, "No Smoking initiatives have been very close to our heart. We spread awareness about the health hazards connected to smoking every year. We hope Smoke Free City as an initiative goes a long way to not only spread awareness, but encourage people to lead a healthy lifestyle."

To promote this initiative, Mid-Day has associated with Vh1, RadioCity, Bright Outdoor, OOH Media, afaqs!, Inox multiplexes, the Manchester United Café Bar, and the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital.