A Shockingly Creative Advertising PSA Campaign

Shortly after I published my last blog post, a friend of mine sent me a link to a public service announcement campaign that they said really stood out for them. After viewing the first print advertisement it was easy to see why they stood out.

The public service announcement entitled “Meth – Not even once” was created by the advertising agency Venables Bell & Partners for the Meth Project Foundation (part of The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids) in 2005-2012 (Adforum, 2013, para. 1). The Meth Project Foundation is part of The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids (Meth Project Foundation, 2015b, para. 1).

Each advertisement focuses on the negative aspects of trying meth for the first time. They draw attention to how using the drug meth changes a person’s life, by showing some of the dangerous situations meth users find themselves in.

Check out the below print advertisements that were created for the Meth Project Foundation campaign entitled “Meth – Not even once.”



(Meth Project Foundation, 2015a)

 

(Meth Project Foundation, 2015a)

 

(Sohail, 2013)

 

(Sohail, 2013)

 

(BuzzFeed, 2013)

 

(Meth Project Foundation, 2015a)

 

(BuzzFeed, 2013)

 

(BuzzFeed, 2013)

 

(BuzzFeed, 2013)

 

(BuzzFeed, 2013)

 

Check out this YouTube video compilation of some of the commercials made for the Meth Project Foundation campaign “Meth – Not Even Once” posted by David-Bernard Bujoold (Bujold, 2011 June 22).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGiAxwgrF_k

 

This series of public service announcement advertisements displayed a clear and concise message. Overall I found each advertisement disturbing, but in a way that they really grabbed my attention and educated me to the effects of using meth. The target is easily identified as youth. The images they used in the print advertisements were very strong and the headlines were very well written, grabbing the reader’s attention.

I think these were some of the best advertising commercials I’ve ever seen for a public service announcement. After watching one, I kept searching for others until I came across the compilation video I added above. I think the script for each commerical are very well written. I also like the sound effects they used at the end of each commerical as the organizations logo appears. They branded their advertisements very well.

I would say the Meth Project Foundation campaign “Meth – Not even once” is incredibly creative in the sense that it depicts real life situations regarding meth addicts that are very disturbing. I really like the way they pushed the envelope and showed the world through the eyes of a young meth addict.

Do you think the public service announcement Meth Project Foundation campaign “Meth - Not even once” is creative?

 

 

References:

Adforum. (2013). The Montana Meth Project. Retrieved from http://ca.adforum.com/search/creative-work/brand/The%20Montana%20Meth%20Project

BuzzFeed. (2013, August 8). METH Ads – Nothing But METH Ads. Retrieved from http://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/meth-ads-nothing-but-meth-ads#.pfQ9j0r77v

Meth Project Foundation. (2015a). About. Retrieved from http://www.methproject.org/about/

Meth Project Foundation. (2015b). View Ads. Retrieved from http://www.methproject.org/ads/print/brain.html

Sohail. (2013, November 27). Overview of the best social advertising against drugs (14 photos). Retrieved from http://hybridtechcar.com/overview-best-social-advertising-drugs-14-photos/

Bujold, D. (2011, June 22). Meth – Not Even Once [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGiAxwgrF_k