Thursday, October 13, 2005
Smurfnic Cleansing
UNICEF wanted a graphic and shockingillustration of how war in Africa affects children. Their chosen advertising tactic: show the Smurf's village being blown to bits in an air raid.
UNICEF officials say the ad will run late at night to avoid scaring children. Have they not heard of VCRS? Time-shifting? The internet? There's no way it won'e eventually end up being seen by children. It's the nature of today's media beast: if it's filmed, it eventually gets seen.
What's next? Skinned Care Bears to protest poaching? Is anything from an innocent childhood sacred anymore?
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