Friday, April 15, 2011

Pass us a Winnie Blue

I've read back over my last few posts and realised that almost all of them are just bitterly complaining about something. Knowing when I'm on a good thing, this post will be along similar lines.

I used to be a smoker. Not a heavy smoker, but a smoker nonetheless. I don't smoke now and haven't for over twenty years and, what's more, I don't FEEL like I need to smoke.

One thing, however, has forced me consider taking the habit up again. It's this ad that's running at the moment:

"http://www.youtube.com/embed/-rUFoLVtwMc"

Now, I know ads, especially Quit ads, are supposed to be manipulative but, seriously, have you ever seen anything quite so blatant? Every time and I do mean EVERY TIME I see this ad, I want to buy a pack of smokes and finish them off in one sitting; just so I can say to the Quit people, 'go FUCK yourselves.'

My neighbour smokes and he hadn't seen the ad until recently. It came on TV when I was over there and I pointed it out to him. The very first thing he did after seeing it, was say, 'I'm going for a smoke.' And he, indeed, smoked two cigarettes before coming back inside.

So, well down Quit centre; you're really helping yourselves in the anti-smoking campaign.

5 comments:

Eric said...

Sometimes the establishment doesn't want us to succeed / do well. Well to hell with them...

The Unbearable Banishment said...

This reminds me of the PETA animal rights activists. Do you know who they are? Their ads and activities have done more to alienate people from their cause than any other organization. And the all-natural food folks have a good point, but I hate being preached to be a band of do-gooders.

Megan said...

Who is that child's parent? Did he or she just stand by and watch as the director terrified the little boy?

VEG said...

Wow, that really IS blatant. Might as well just have tattooed the message on the kid's forehead. I think advertisers are blind to the fact that taking a message too far in one direction, just has the opposite effect - namely, it aggravates people so much they get defiant. I mean I don't doubt that some people will see that commercial and maybe it will have a positive effect but for the most part I think people will feel like you do. Rebellious and condescended to.

tennysoneehemingway said...

Eric: to hell indeed.

UB: yeah PETA and Greenpeace. All in the same boat for mine. We get it, but do we need the blunt instrument to the head?

Megan: my exact first thought when I first saw the ad. Just terrible.

Veg: nail, head; you've hit it.