4th of October 2018
In 1987 we were shocked and children were so traumatised by an advertising campaign featuring the “Grim Reaper” in the fight against aids the advertisement was pulled but it did it’s job.
A similar campaign “Cigarettes Kill” on social media had similar impact and linked with other anti smoking campaigns has made cigarette smoking antisocial. Effectively achieving a cultural change.
The Traffic Accident Commission (TAC) over many years has resorted to the “shock and awe” approach to road safety that has achieved substantial influence in changing the culture toward drink driving.
Maybe not the total solution in these cases but to say they have not had a profound impact is grossly underselling their effectiveness.
It concerns the CAA that the same techniques are not applied to the drug trade.
Some of the best anti-drugs ads have been produced in the US and appear regularly during the Super Bowl, one of the iconic advertising events in the world. The costs for this advertising is horrendous so we can reasonably assume the benefit exists
As we approach an election in Victoria in a few weeks time we challenge the major parties to make commitments to a substantial anti-drugs campaign designed to steer our children away for this poison.
Making drug pushers pariahs a kin to the “Grim Reaper” would be a good start.