New lung cancer ads read "Hipsters deserve to die"

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A Lung Cancer Alliance advertising campaign features hipsters, cat lovers, tattooed people and crazy old aunts with a tagline reading that they "deserve to die."

According to the Lung Cancer Alliance, the ads are meant to challenge the perception that people with lung cancer have brought it upon themselves.

The campaign's Web site explains: “Many people believe that if you have lung cancer you did something to deserve it. It sounds absurd, but it’s true. Lung cancer doesn’t discriminate and neither should you. Help put an end to the stigma and the disease.”

Though its creators expected the teaser campaign to be controversial, the short, cryptic copy has made it pretty difficult for people to catch their meeting.

(Image: Lynn Friedman/Flickr)

Teaser ads for the Alliance's "No one deserves to die" campaign were plastered in 31 cities across the country, including Chicago, where some residents have been ripping them down.

“Nobody deserves to die; come on, that’s a hell of a statement," Chicagoan Kyle Rothfus told CBS Chicago.

The firm responsible for the campaign, Laughlin Constable, will unveil more detailed ads in the coming days.