Smokers ignore graphic warnings on packs, posters and public service announcements. They know the facts but they choose to ignore them. Our task was to cut through this malaise and jolt them into giving serious thought about kicking the habit.

People have grown numb to all the health warnings attached to smoking, because they’re familiar with the messaging and delivery. There are blind spots. Our plan was to interrupt an almost sacrosanct part of smoking—the smoking ritual itself—catching smokers when they least expect it. The Ash Hourglass is an hourglass-shaped funnel that fits over existing ashtrays—or with a base, works as one itself. As a smoker ashes his cigarette, he literally sees his life flow away before his very eyes. The message, “Each cigarette shortens your life by 11 minutes” is dramatically and personally demonstrated.

Installed on smoking tables at popular bars, cafes and restaurants, there is no escaping it—it hits you with every puff, replacing the satisfaction of smoking with nagging doubts about your health. To quote Singapore Cancer Society’s Programmes & Services Director, “Saving ONE person from developing lung cancer already offsets the cost of producing 1,000 of these installations.” So far, our pilot on-ground survey covering a sample of 100 smokers who’ve interacted with the Ash Hourglass has returned an 80% positive response on “Made me seriously consider what I’m doing to my health.”