Martin Brent – Dirty Mouth

These winning images were shot for the UK COI for an NHS & HM Customs advertising campaign warning of the dangers of buying contraband cigarettes.  We were genuinely shocked to find out they are frequently counterfeit and the list of ingredients found in these counterfeit cigarettes is absolutely terrifying and formed the basis of the shot.

These images entered into the Sony World Photography Awards 2010 were shot for the UK COI for an NHS & HM Customs advertising campaign warning of the dangers of buying contraband cigarettes. Martin says that he was genuinely shocked to find out they are frequently counterfeit and the list of ingredients found in these counterfeit cigarettes is absolutely terrifying; this formed the basis of the shot.

Fascinatingly, the bugs, rat & smoke were 100% real, although clinically clean and actually edible in the case of the worms, water beetles and crickets. Martin comments how the models really went the extra mile to make these shots as effective as they are.

“Although some digital postproduction has been employed, the revulsion and reactions by the models were real and hardly surprising. I have to admit I’ve not looked at a packet of cigarettes in the same way since I shot this campaign!”

For the campaign, it was important that the visual would cross all boundaries of race and sex; the message had to be shocking yet relevant to anyone who saw it.

Shot February 2009, Art Director, Phil Birchall of The Seal agency and make up and styling by Robyn Knight, assistant Matt Wilson.

To read an interview with Martin Brent, click here