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Columbia, (WACH) - Ex-smokers who lived to tell about their health struggles hit the airwaves in an ad campaign geared to make people kick the habit.   

"If you're going to cut through the clutter, you have to have something to say that is of interest to people,” said USC Advertising Professor Karen Mallia.  “Whether that's for information or entertainment or shock there has to be something that gets their attention and grab them by the lapels, and I think that does that."

DHEC teamed up with the CDC to flood media markets throughout South Carolina with these ads which are paid for in part with cigarette tax revenue.

So far they are making an impression as DHEC quit line phones are ringing off the hook:
 
"We know that the spot is making a tremendous difference,” said spokesman Adam Myrick.  “To go from 600 calls the month before the spot started airing, to the first month it airs, jumping up to 3,600 calls."

Mallia says the brains behind the ads likely did plenty of research before launching the commercials, including the effect the graphic nature of the spots would have on children.

"Is that even more graphic than the video games that they're watching now? Asks Mallia. “That have absolutely no value and it could also be something that starts a conversation if their parent is a smoker."

Another commercial not featured in this story just started airing in Columbia this week.  DHEC figures show that 70% of smokers say they want to quit but are unable to kick the habit.