Forget Preachy PSAs, Agency Discovers How to Actually Stop Drunk Driving

literally_stop.png

PSA campaigns have traditionally relied upon scare tactics to make their point. But for many young people who feel they are invincible, this approach rarely works. So how do you get young people to listen -- and in the case of Don't Drink and Drive efforts -- actually insure people do not drive drunk? You literally stop them. As in, like literally.

And that's exactly what Publicis Brussels did for Belgium-based Responsible Young Drivers. On the weekend of of its 22nd anniversary at Belgium's most famous nightclub, Carre, the agency worked with B Park engineers to create a parking lot gate that would only open if a car's driver passed a breathalizer test.

While this was a one-off event and 90% of club goers were sober enough to leave the parking lot, the organization plans to roll this effort out across other venues in the future. Hmm, pretty soon there will be a healthy business for pop up hotels around nightclubs.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-22-13    
Topic: Cause



Drunk Girl Pukes Up Father in Disgusting PSA

spanish_epic_puke.png

It's sort of expected drug-related PSAs will shock, disgust and make you squirm. After all, it's the whole scared straight thing, right? Here's one from Bungalow25 for the Spanish Foundation Against Drug Addiction that aims to prevent alcohol abuse among Spanish youths.

In the ad, a girl begins to puke on the sidewalk. Then she REALLY begins to puke. And then the commercial turns into an Alien movie. And finally, the ad closes with "Every time you get drunk you separate yourself from the things that matter most."

more »

by Steve Hall    May-22-13    
Topic: Cause



The Ugly Truth ABout Poop And Pee

truth_dog_cat.png

This is hilarious! And so welcome. After years of trashing the anti-smoking Truth campaign for its idiotic use of anachronistic quotes from tobacco company executives and Derek Beckles, this new work from Arnold Worldwide made us laugh. Of course, it's 4th grade bathroom humor but no one ever really grows out of that.

Take a look at how Arnold conveys the fact methane is found in dog poop and cigarette smoke and urea (aka carbamide which is an organic chemical compound and the waste produced by the body after metabolizing protein) is found in cat pee and cigarettes. Good stuff.

by Steve Hall    May-21-13    
Topic: Cause, Guerilla



3 Reasons the Red Cross Will Save You From Disastrous Babysitters

redcross1.jpg

As a parent, you no doubt experience pangs of trepidation -- no, horror -- when you leave your children with a babysitter you may not know very well. You wonder if your children will be well cared for, whether they will be fed properly, whether they go to bed on time.

But, if you've ever had any of the three types of babysitters featured in this BBDO Atlanta-created, Tool-produced commercial, your concerns are a bit more serious and you'll want to make sure your next babysitter has take the American Red Cross' Babysitting Basics course before leaving the house.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-21-13    
Topic: Cause



Parkinson's Patients Create Ads For World Parkinson's Day

world_parkinsons_day.JPG

To promote awareness of World Parkinson's Day-April 11, 2013, Draftfcb + Shimoni Finkelstein Barki invited 18 different Parkinson's patients to create ads in their own handwriting. Each patient wrote the message 'Today is World Parkinson's Day' and signed their name under the headline. Their shaky handwriting created a graphic and self-explanatory way to express the degenerative effects of the disease and its effect on the lives of 20,000 patients in Israel.

by Steve Hall    May-16-13    
Topic: Cause



Man Wishes His Son Had Cancer

harrisons.jpg

In an effort to call attention to little known Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy which is slowly and painfully killing his 6 year old son, Harrison, Alex Smith can be seen along with his son in a AIS London-created PSA for the desease which carries the headline, "I Wish My Son Had Cancer."

The strategy behind the ad, of course, is that cancer is widely known -- and well funded -- as compared to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy so, in a sense, Harrison might have a fighting chance had he suffered from cancer instead.

The ad copy gets straight to the point, "Harrison, my 6 year old, has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He is one of 2,500 sufferers in the UK who'll die from it, most before they're 20. Unlike cancer, there's no treatment and no cure. And because you've never heard of it, very little funding either. My only hope is to raise as much money as possible for the research scientists. They're close to a major breakthrough. Your 5 pounds can get them even closer."

The ad is receiving a lot of press in the UK and Alex was invited by ITV for an interview which you can watch below.

more »

by Steve Hall    May-10-13    
Topic: Cause



Hot Young Things Urge Couch Potatoes to Exercise

wat_aah.png

Visual effects company Light of Day teamed with the WAT-AHH! Foundation, a brand of bottled water for kids and teens, to create a PSA promoting the third annual "Move Your Body" event, to be held in New York and Los Angeles on May 1.

The event will gather 250,000 kids from over 600 schools nationwide. Light of Day co-founder and director Charles Nordeen directed the spot which supports First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" initiative

more »

by Steve Hall    Apr-25-13    
Topic: Cause



Three Really Strange Anti-Smoking Ads

WDOT-screenshot-patches.png

Here are three of the strangest quit smoking ads you will ever see. Created by Sukle Advertising & Design for the Wyoming Department of Health, three ads explain how the department can help people conquer the challenge.

In "Patches," a man nervously eyes a peg-legged pirate on a city street corner, before gleefully snatching the pirate's eye patch. A deadpan voiceover reminds viewers that free nicotine patches are available. "Gum" opens with an agitated young man watching an older woman take a piece of gum, which he then extracts from her mouth through a passionate kiss. Free nicotine gum is also available from the Health Department.

Finally, in "Someone," a long-haired ex-smoker tells his troubles to a friendly man who dispenses advice. When it turns out the two men are one and the same, the voiceover reveals that "someone to talk to" is also available and free.

more »

by Steve Hall    Apr- 5-13    
Topic: Cause



PSA Warns Teens Not to Share Hot Selfies

sent_a_photo.png

Not quite as hard hitting as this online safety ad in which a girl placers and picture of herself on a school bulletin board and then can't remove it, this new Cossette-created ad for Children of the Street pushes the same message; be careful what you post online.

While the online safety ad focused on bullying, the Children of the Street ad aims to raise awareness of the sexual exploitation of youth.

more »

by Steve Hall    Mar-25-13    
Topic: Cause



Canadian PSA Takes Aim at Social Farting

social_farter.png

What's a PSA without a good fart joke? That's the tact BBDO Toronto and the Perlorian Brothers took when they created new work for the Ontario Ministry of Health's Quit the Denial campaign.

The campaign introduces us to a girl who admits she is a social farter. In the PSA, she claims, "Just because I fart at parties now and then, it doesn't make me a farter." Our lass has no trouble at all letting it rip at parties, while dancing or talking to guys. And she has no problem approaches guys to ask, "Do you want to go outside for a fart?"

more »

by Steve Hall    Mar-19-13    
Topic: Cause