GRAMMY Award-winning R&B artist Melanie Fiona is partnering with Kick It California, brought to you by the California Department of Public Health. This campaign aims to increase awareness of the dangers of vaping and smoking, focusing on the impact of menthol cigarettes on Black men aged 30-50 in California.
For decades, Big Tobacco has aggressively marketed toxic products to the Black community. Melanie Fiona, in partnership with Kick It California, is calling out for members of the Black community to embark on their tobacco quit journeys with messaging about tobacco's impact on their lives and communities. With menthols off the market in California, now is a great time to quit. Kick It California has free resources and highly trained Quit Coaches to help every step of the way, which can double the chances of quitting.
MAX created custom content for this campaign, including social videos featuring Melanie Fiona sharing how she has personally been impacted by tobacco-related cancer. Melanie, who lost her grandmother to pancreatic cancer caused by smoking, shares a deeply personal, emotional story about how she and her family have been harmed by Big Tobacco. Melanie Fiona partnered with Kick It California because she genuinely hopes to inspire and motivate people to embark on their tobacco quit journeys with Kick It California's free resources.
This campaign is a continuation of a successful partnership between MAX and the California Department of Public Health that has included campaigns with Hayle Kiyoko, Denzel Curry, and Goapele, whose “We Are Not Profit” campaign was recognized by MediaPost’s Creative Media Awards as one of the top 3 finalists in the Native Marketing category. We’re proud of our work with the California Department of Public Health to help combat the deliberate targeting of marginalized communities by Big Tobacco in the state of California.
This campaign feature Melanie Fiona’s anthem “I Want It All,” a song appropriately about striving to achieve great things, no matter the obstacles.
Melanie Fiona is a Canadian singer-songwriter who began her career with the group X-Quisite before signing a recording contract with Universal Records. Her debut album, The Bridge, earned her critical acclaim and a GRAMMY nomination for the song “It Kills Me.” So far, Melanie has been nominated for five GRAMMY Awards and has won two of them. Outside of music, she is involved in philanthropic efforts, advocating for education and healthcare, and working with organizations like the Women's March. Her soulful voice and thoughtful lyrics have made her a leading R&B artist.
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