Edgy ad or inappropriate?

[moshquerade]

Billboard proclaiming the health benefits of antioxidants contained in this drink, and claiming you can cheat death by drinking it, aka live longer.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is up in arms about it. What do you think? Is this theme inappropriate? Is a noose acceptable in any ad?

To add to it they can't even take the billboard down if they wanted to because a hawk has built its' nest in it and has chicks. They are protected, so the billboard will remain until they are gone regardless.

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/re..._ad_or_public_noose-ance/srvc=home&position=6

 

[Crono]

Ineffective, but not inappropriate.

Like anyone believes pomegranate juice will make you immortal.

There can be only one.

 

[xanis]

I personally don't find it inappropriate, but I'm sure that a lot of people will because they're "sensitive".

 

[irishScott]

What's wrong with it? Is a noose around a bottle going to somehow push people to suicide? Hell it has the words "cheat death" right next to it, and the noose is broken as if it had failed. If anything this is anti-suicide. In any case, speaking as someone who held a knife to his throat in 8th grade, seeing this wouldn't have influenced me in the slightest.

 

[brblx]

dumb ad for dumb product; not offensive.

 

[Crono]

Only one who might take offense is John Locke.

Esau approves.

 

[jlee]

What's the AFSP's complaint? That someone's going to see that and go 'oh damn, I could hang myself today!'

 

[Gothgar]

kinda stupid

 

[moshquerade]

What's the ASFP's complaint? That someone's going to see that and go 'oh damn, I could hang myself today!'

I linked the article.

"“It’s inappropriate to use suicide as a theme to sell products,” said suicide foundation president Robert Gebbia. “We’re working very hard, in particular in Boston, to change the attitude toward suicide. People who lose a loved one to suicide are really offended by it.”

 

[Matthiasa]

Am I missing something there?

 

[sandorski]

Not Inappropriate, not Edgy either, in fact it seems rather vague and poorly thought out. Ya, a Noose will kill you, but it's not a symbol of Death, at least it would be way down the list of anybody who doesn't live on Death Row.

 

[Platypus]

They have this campaign all over one of the subway lines in Chicago right now. I can't fathom how it has anything to do with suicide. To be honest, the first time I saw the noose one, I thought it like one of those old westerns where a man is being hanged and his friend sharpshoots the noose so he can escape... hence 'cheat death.'

The other ones are more logical, there is one where the bottle has a cape and another where the POM bottle resembles an IV.

I still cannot possibly fathom how this has anything to do with suicide... who the fuck ties a proper noose to hang themself anyway?

 

[Matthiasa]

They have this campaign all over one of the subway lines in Chicago right now. I can't fathom how it has anything to do with suicide. To be honest, the first time I saw the noose one, I thought it like one of those old westerns where a man is being hanged and his friend sharpshoots the noose so he can escape... hence 'cheat death.'

The other ones are more logical, there is one where the bottle has a cape and another where the POM bottle resembles an IV.

I still cannot possibly fathom how this has anything to do with suicide... who the fuck ties a proper noose to hang themself anyway?

Apparently people in Boston.

 

[Platypus]

Apparently people in Boston.

People in Boston must be fucking retarded then

Maybe something in the water?

 

[AstroManLuca]

Not really inappropriate, just dumb. Don't see how the noose adds to it. They could have removed the noose and just had a picture of the bottle and I think it would be equally effective. I mean, they're talking about the health benefits of antioxidants, not their ability to reduce suicidal tendencies.

I think they should have made a cartoon version of the Pom bottle and have it fighting the grim reaper in a comic book style epic battle, but that's me.

 

[snuggliestbear]

I still cannot possibly fathom how this has anything to do with suicide... who the fuck ties a proper noose to hang themself anyway?

Exactly. Noose != suicide. People are way too PC these days.

 

[Platypus]

Maybe if they had a belt or something instead of a noose I could see someone getting offended.. but even still that's a huge stretch.

 

[Crono]

Thread needs more Styx - Renegade.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXhuso4OTG4

 

[Mr. Pedantic]

I think it's inappropriate, but only because what it claims is completely false.

 

[olds]

Is that a penis with semen dripping off it? If so = edgy.
Otherwise, neither edgy or inappropriate.

 

[Platypus]

Is that a penis with semen dripping off it? If so = edgy.
Otherwise, neither edgy or inappropriate.

uhh...

 

[Babbles]

I don't think it's a great ad, but it sure as shit isn't edgy or inappropriate.

 

[moshquerade]

Is that a penis with semen dripping off it? If so = edgy.
Otherwise, neither edgy or inappropriate.

Hadn't looked at it that way, but now that you mention it...

you are onto something

 

[MJinZ]

Is this better?

Clearly, the point is not that the noose or whatever doesn't elicits any meaningfully offensive or inappropriateness response from most us, but the theme is still distasteful.

I personally don't really find it edgy or inappropriate, but I can certainly understand why someone (affected by this personally) would and can certainly see why it is not viewed as a very tasteful ad.

 

[shortylickens]

I think I can see how its edgy and may bother some people.
I would tell those people to lighten the fuck up. If they cant handle a billboard with a bottle and a noose, then real life is going to fucking kill them.