The trouble with anti-drug ads — it's always been this way — is however you do it, whatever you say, it encouraged drug use. Here's the current effort from Australia:
A stoned sloth is the face of a new campaign from the NSW Government aimed at deterring teenagers from smoking cannabis with the tagline "You're worse on weed". The #StonerSloth campaign, jointly released with St Vincent's Alcohol and Drug Information Service, has garnered significant reaction on social media, with #StonerSloth trending at number one on Twitter Australia on Saturday.Garnered? Who writes this stuff? Jeb Bush?
AND: Here's "Top 10 Worst Anti-Drug Commercials," by Mojo, which ends by asking what we think is the #1 worst anti-drug commercial. I said: "The egg. Nothing beats the egg."
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13 comments:
Do you have statistics to support your proposition that anti-drug ads encourage drug use?
I've been meaning to practice the Seven Deadly Sins as a form of inoculation against them, but keep getting stuck on "Sloth".
Still better than the Star Wars Holiday Special.
The reason it may encourage drug use could be that it reaches people who otherwise would never consider it, or never consider themselves one of the kinds of people who would take drugs, or whose fears of using Drug X are greater than what the ad says.
It seems to be definitely true taht DARE enourages drug use.
In the same way, sex education probably encourages teenage sex. Now in some schools, there may not be any further encouragement needed.
And could someone also tell Jeb it's okay to say the word "score." He keeps trying to "garner some weed."
Well, there is always the rebel without a clue reaction. But, the anti-drug people have to be concerned that moving from one extreme to another will provoke a visceral response, unless, of course, the original sin was a violation of another human life.
Maybe it is impossible to make a good anti-drug ad. Anyone who has used drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) knows that (to some extent for some/most people) they are fun to do and feel good. It's hard to admit this part, and then make a convincing argument against drugs, without tempting people to try them.
It's ... complex, nuanced even.
Long ago I lost 50 pounds and quit smoking cigarettes (at the same time!). The first thing I had to do was acknowledge how much I loved to eat (still do) and enjoyed smoking. Reality first. I don't know if most people can do this. For me, it was more important to be slim and healthy than to overeat and smoke.
Stoner sloths are low energy. Sort of like alcohol sloths.
Pixar has some much cuter sloths. Maybe being stoned at the DMV isn't all that bad.
https://youtu.be/x_2E6nlnMPU?t=40
I dunno, that 2nd "your brain on drugs" egg commercial with a young, energetic Rachael Leigh Cook smashing the place up...well, it got my attention, anyway.
Your Brain On Drugs: Rachael Leigh Cook 1988
Couple of things. First, sloths are adorable. Ask any teenager. Second, people high on pot have been played for laughs for, gee, forever. (Why? Maybe because there are more funny stories than tragic stories about pot.) Cute sloths plus funny behavior will make people laugh.
Third, adults who disapprove of weed made this ad. Cute sloths, funny behavior, disapproving adults = weed is awesome.
It isn't that hard to figure out. If you want to discourage kids from trying weed, you need to have kids make the commercials. They know more about the topic.
The trouble with anti-drug ads — it's always been this way — is however you do it, whatever you say, it encouraged drug use.
Of course--they're a lot more fun to watch when you're stoned.
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