The "Where Is Pete" Campaign
A Campaign Against Smokeless Tobacco
Pete the Tooth was first seen (actually not seen) in a series of TV commercials that hit the air in 2006. Pete’s mouth-friends (the other teeth and his buddy the uvula) discovered Pete had been killed by chewing tobacco and had gone missing. From there, the Where Is Pete campaign took root in cyberspace – MySpace/YouTube and the WhereIsPete.org site you’re on now.
MySpace and YouTube used entertainment value to deliver a serious message to Pennsylvania males, 14 - 17 years old. Pete - a rotten, yellow-brown, dead tooth – created his own MySpace page which was dedicated to his recent break up with chewing tobacco – “the lying psycho who poisoned him.” For 16 weeks, MySpace blog content, pictures and Pete’s profile information delivered chewing tobacco facts and advice to empower the young target. Visitors to Pete’s MySpace page received information on the health effects of using chew, tips for quitting and coping through withdrawal symptoms. Pete also posted YouTube video blogs to further reinforce the anti-tobacco message. Links included in the content allowed visitors to easily travel back and forth between Pete’s YouTube and MySpace pages.
WhereIsPete.org, is for youth under 14-year-olds. From the interactive home page, kids can access Pete’s touring schedule, view photos of Pete and his friends at local events, conquer the games, and receive peer-support to stay tobacco-free. There are also special sections with content designed for parents and teachers to help kids be tobacco-free.
