For teens, preachy adults are second only to wannabe cool adults in lameness; capturing their interest requires acknowledging their intellect

Tobacco companies need to replace the 1300 customers who die from tobacco related diseases daily, and they do it by aggressively targeting teens. Big Tobacco’s “Replacement Smokers,” ages 13 to 18 are hyper informed but also hyper skeptical. They value the facts and want to make their own decisions based on knowledge, not on someone’s opinion.

But facts aren’t enough. They want to be informed and entertained, and they want it in a language all their own. They want to know the story and the backstory — that surprising nugget that makes them seem knowledgeable. And they take serious topics seriously.

In today’s society, teens are no strangers to grown up conversations. So when presented with smoking facts, and proof that they are being shamelessly targeted by Big Tobacco to make big bucks, they understand that it’s no laughing matter.