What You Won’t See In the United States

This sample public service announcement by documentary filmmaker Gina Levy would never run in the United States.  Four-letter words aside, the use of actual drug addicts rather than actors is generally taboo in U.S. broadcast markets.  What explains this prohibition?

The other interesting thing about this clip is how this selection of footage is edited to send a very different message from Levy’s full-length documentary about this mother and son pair of addicts, “Foo Foo Dust”, which emphasizes their humanity as well as their abjection.

No woman wants to look like a man

This new campaign from Drug and Alcohol Service for London (DASL), the leading substance misuse charity in London, targets female drinkers. For women alcohol addiction is accompanied by hair loss, wrinkles and obesity, plus the other problems like breast cancer, early menopause and memory loss.
The ad is spotted at several outdoor advertising sites in the London Underground.  It will also appear in Marie Claire’s July issue.

The campaign is also guided by a digital application that demonstrates the physical effects of drinking too much at the social network bebo. Visitors can submit their own photo and enter their weekly intake of alcohol. Their face is then altered and the result is a shocking insight into what they could look like in years to come. 

Thanks for sending Alef.

This isn’t normal, but on Meth it is

This is phase 4 of the well known Meth Project campaigns. In this phase the key message is that living on Meth is another reality then ‘normal’ life.
It also shows the devastating consequences Meth has on the friends and family of Meth users.

The Meth Project is a large-scale prevention program aimed at reducing first-time meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. Recent survey data (Pdf) in Montana, where the Meth Project first initiated its prevention campaign in 2005, demonstrates attitudes and behaviors toward Meth have changed since the campaign launched.

See more of this campaign and previous phases here.

Campanha antidrogas: the end of the line

Various campaign items in a surprising outdoor campaign from the Instituto Prebisteriano Mackenzie (Mackenzie Presbiterian Institute) in Brazil. 
Above a optical illusion made with floor adhesive tape in several Mackenzie campus lobbies and a sign saying:
“Drogas Sao assim: o fim da linha”
“Drugs are just like this: the end of the line”

Thanks Armando for translating

Alcohólicos Anónimos

This campaign from the Argentinian Alcohólicos Anónimos is running now. The four videos shows typical behaviour of alcohol addicts.
Tagline: “If you are worried about your way of drinking, call us. We have been there. Alcohólicos Anónimos”
Video above is called ‘Resaca’ which means ‘hangover’.

Drugs: any country could be your prison

9 ads from Ramón Rubial - Fundación Españoles en el Mundo, the Foundation for Spanish people all over the world. Third serie on Osocio which warns travellers to be careful with drugs.
Copy: “Get into drugs abroad and any country could be your prison”.
Above the version about El Salvador.

Related posts:
- Your trip could be for life
- A life inside

Me Not Meth

This new campaign made by GMMB, Better World Advertising and Anita Santiago Advertising is called “Me Not Meth”. It is a project of the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs seeking to prevent crystal methamphetamine use across the state of California USA.
The current stage of the campaign is aimed at gay and bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men (MSM).
The campaign will officially launch next monday.

Don’t Shoot Me Santa

“Don’t Shoot Me Santa” is a song by Las Vegas-based rock band The Killers. The song was released November 27, 2007, with 100% of the proceeds to benefit the Global Fund, for investment in African AIDS programs.

Drugs are and remain drugs

When you’re exposed to something on a regular basis, it becomes acceptable. The FAD (Fundacion de Ayuda a la Drogadicción - Foundation Against Drug Addiction, Spain) points out this potential danger by depicting drugs as mainstream products.



“The biggest danger is forgetting what they really are”

I’m fine to drive

These confrontating adhesives where placed on walls and floors in public bathrooms at local bars. The South African road safety organisation Arrive Alive visualize people’s behaviour after drinking too much.

There’s no such thing as an old junkie

Folow-up of the great video from Focus 12, the rehabilation centre for all kind of addicts, based in Suffolk UK. 

Resist Meth

Not since the early days of HIV has the gay community faced the kind of threat that crystal meth has become. Even though meth has been around for a long time, in recent years use of the drug has reached epidemic proportions. Most of us have stories about the harm that meth has caused. Men becoming infected with HIV after sex binges that last days or weeks. Other STDs like syphilis and gonorrhea rising sharply.
Guys losing everything and ending up on the streets. Relationships with partners, friends and family falling apart. Meth has caused some of us to turn violent and abusive. It’s landed some in jail for dealing or stealing or committing other crimes.

Hey pssst, do you want some?

Hey fellow, I got a great offer for you. Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin? All for free, just for you.
All available in one click right now.
Thanks Ellen

Wipe yourself out

Two ads from the Romanian Bridge of Hope Foundation, Fundatia Podul Sperantei.
The use of heavier drugs in Romania is today a rising problem. Narcotics is an increasing problem among many young people and especially in the target group for the work of many other organizations all over Romania. Presently this foundation nor has the means neither the objective to approach drug addicts.

Don’t throw yourself away

Great artwork from McCann Erickson. Wirf dich nicht weg: Don’t throw yourself away. A German awareness campaign about youth alcoholism.

YAD

For me this is the ultimate way of communicating a message. A powerfull visual and just one word and everybody knows what it is about. The only thing what is missing is the name or logo of the sender. These ads are from the Finnish Youth Against Drugs (YAD).

I stood up, and I blacked out…

“One time I was sitting at my friends house and we’d been smoking for about four days straight, and I stood up, and I blacked out… My really good friend was checking my heart and he was freaking out because it scared him. He was like, ‘I thought you were going to die because your heart stopped twice.’ And they never took me to the hospital...”
Kara, Missoula - Age 15, started using at age 11

There’s no such thing as an old junkie

Hardhitting video with elderly junkies. “There’s no such thing as an old junkie.”
“I wanted to create a juxtaposition: obviously there’s no such thing as old people doing drugs,” director Arran Bowyn told shots.net. “The point is that if you do drugs when you are younger you’re not going to live to be that age.

A life inside

E causes depression

Think more, drink less

You can’t calculate your alcohol limit

This tv-spot from the British Think! is part of the 2006 Christmas drink drive campaign. 

Vehicles available

The smoking animal

Amy, Jenny, Jeff and Lisa

This looks so easy and simple but have such a impact. Environmental campaign placed in high schools for MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Your trip could be for life

‘If you go near drugs, your trip could be for life.’
These postcard-style adsfrom last year are from Fundación Ramón Rubial, the Spanish organisation for spanish people in different countries.
‘Neither buy, nor consume, nor deal with drugs abroad. If you go abroad, avoid any contact with drugs. It can be the beginning of a trip without date of return.’

Brain Warehouse

“Have you been smoking too much skunk or eating too many hash cakes? Feeling sick? Don’t fancy going out much? Maybe you need a new brain! Visit the Brain Warehouse today for all your brain replacement needs.”

Become an ex

I was not nice to the American Legacy Foundation a few post ago. I think they had convinced to stop smoking after seeing this tv-spot. Brilliant moviestyle music!
Using the delightfully lustful imagery of the typical male fantasy, this American Legacy commercial aligns the allure of cigarettes to that of the hot neighbour next door. The spot is part of a new multi-city health program aimed at acknowledging the difficulties of quitting smoking and offering resources to make the job easier. The spot points to BecomeAnEx.org where those resources can be found (if you live in the USA).

MADD

Great ads from MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, placed at one the best locations to reach the target audience.

Holy shit

Holy shit. It’s not always fun having a blog like this.
I noticed here before that Brazilian communication-design is very powerful, but sometimes also very rough. Like this one.

As drogas matam de várias maneiras
The drug kills in more than one way

This campaign is from CT Dia, an organisation that helps drug addicts building a new life.
In the Netherlands we’re not used to campaigns that are so confrontating. Is it effective? I don’t know.
The good stuff: it’s very uncommon that social campaigns are communicated so cross-media like this one. Website, outdoor, print, tv-spots, radio-spots.
Agency: OpusMúltipla

Adhesive

Adhesives in the bathrooms of the university of Lisbon during a congres about mental and social health and drugaddiction.
Mais do que teorias: a realidade.
More than theory: reality.