Hitler may be the go to guy for shockly inappropriate comparisons today. But fairly soon, I can imagine 9/11 may take his place.
Witness this ad (click to expand it) created by DDB Brazil for the Israeli office of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Just released in time for the 8th anniversary of 9/11.
(UPDATE: This ad was released by DDB and not sanctioned by WWF or WWF Israel.)
Really ad agency guys? The destruction of a Tsunami is like a hundred planes hitting the World Trade Center.
Douchebags.
Into the Pit of Hades with you.
via AdFreak
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Disgusting. I thought it had to be a hoax, but apparently not...
My stomach literally turned.
Just so wrong on so many levels. Talk about creating a PR nightmare ...
I feel an urge to apologize with you guys...
I don't have a problem with it - the point is valid, in that the events of 9/11 are miniscule compared to what the planet is capable of dishing out if we don't learn to respect it.
Perfectly reasonable and effective way yo convey this point, in my opinion.
I get why they're doing the comparison Buford. But I fail to see how it helps their cause.
Using one horrible tragedy to highlight the fact that you think your tragedy is worse? Who wins here?
More people will look at this ad and see the WWF trying to capitalize and trivialize 9/11, then people who view this is an effective way to help the earth.
And it won't get them more donations or sympathy for their cause. It'll just bring negative backlash.
Hey Baierman, lots of comments from gothamist's story. real heated :)
http://twurl.cc/1jez
I think leveraging 9/11 will make people take notice, which ultimately helps their cause. Again, the point is valid - SO MUCH has been done in the name of '9/11'... wars, intrusions on fundamental liberties, etc... but 9/11 was nothing compared to the damage the planet is capable of inflicting on us if we don't get on the right path. We should be taking measures to protect the planet that are, at least, commensurate with the drastic actions taken after 9/11.
Well done, WWF.
Thumbs up Baierman.
To me, this is repulsive: "leveraging 9/11"
Don't leverage my 3 friends killed by terrorists
PRESS RELEASE
WWF STRONGLY CONDEMNS UNAUTHORIZED AD CAMPAIGN
WASHINGTON, DC, September 1, 2009 – World Wildlife Fund today issued the following statement in response to an ad posted on several Internet sites that has been inaccurately linked to our organization and contains messages and images related to the events of 9-11.
“WWF strongly condemns this offensive and tasteless ad and did not authorize its production or publication. It is our understanding that it was a concept offered by an outside advertising agency seeking our business in Brazil. The concept was summarily rejected by WWF and should never have seen the light of day. It is an unauthorized use of our logo and we are aggressively pursuing action to have it removed from websites where it is being currently featured. We strongly condemn the messages and the images portrayed in this ad. On behalf of WWF, here in the US and around the world, we can promise you this ad does not in any way reflect the thoughts and feelings of the people of our organization.”
link: http://www.worldwildlife.org/who/media/press/2009/WWFPresitem13540.html
Now that makes sense. Thanks Valeriob.
Seems this is none other than a creative teams attempt to win an advertising award.
bet they wouldn't have released that press statement if the ad was well received (not that it could be).
Israel huh? Why do we keep standing up for these twerps?
Just throwing out some numbers here.
WTC death toll = 2,752
Tsunami Death Toll = 169,752
Holocaust Death Toll = between 11 million and 17 million
Leverage your own tragedy Israel, and feel free to STFU about ours.
In honor of this i think every american should kill, cook, and eat 2,752 different endangered species animals.
Fuck off WWF and take PETA with you.
One more thing to add to the above rant. If People like WWE and PETA love the environment so much, why do they keep eating all the fuckin' plants?
Hahahah... Pablo, you said it!
They should start eating from photosyntesis and drinking only dew.
Uh, and no clothes and shoes for you, for its made of dead plants, animals and oil. It ruins the environment, right?
Baierman, you should update the main story to reflect that press release, so as not to confuse RSS readers, and those who don't bother with comments. It's DDB who are the douchebags, not WWF.
Hey Sheriff Pablo:
The thing was done by an agency in BRAZIL, not Israel.
...Witness this ad (click to expand it) created by DDB Brazil...
Before you begin your rants, make sure you've got the target in sight.
Douchebaggery corrected Scara.
Apologies to the Douchebags in Israel. This Douchebaggery wasn't their fault.
The Douchebags in Brazil however...
Leo, you got some fucked up people in that country of yours man...Could you go over there and explain what ACTUALLY causes a tsunami to those ad guys?
My statement about animal rights activists however, still stands. Fuck 'em running.
That's why I've apologized up there, Sheriff.
We've got great guys on the advertising industry down here, just don't know what went wrong with those ones. **facepalm**
Wow... you guys are pretty uptight for a 'funny' blog.
It's not a matter of being uptight, Buford, we have made fun of lots of controversial subjects in here, but I personally don't think that the 9/11 provides a good comparison reference for the tsunamis on the way they did.
some things are just beyond sarcasm Buford. Innocent Deaths is one of them.
Pablo said it first. Not everything's funny. To me anyway.
In the words of George Carlin
"I believe you can joke about anything. It all depends on how you construct the joke."
I like it. Does the ad diminish he effect or awfulness of 9/11? Not at all. The are many tragic events, big and small, natural and man made all over the world. There are just two of them represented here... no need to get mad or offended.
I totally agree with you Sheriff. And I think this Buford guy must work for that ad agency.
There are just some things you should not use for advertising purposes. We're not saying that 9/11 was any worse than any other tragic event, just that this particular reference was not an appropriate use of that tragedy to gain support for something else. It made it into a joke, and that's what classifies them as douchebags.
In my opinion, any cause that is truly worthy of worldwide support shouldn't require the use of anything but the facts.
And we were all here on 9/11, so it's close to our hearts. We all knew someone, or knew of someone, who died or lost someone very close to them. And for what? Religious lunacy?
It wasn't a natural disaster, or something unavoidable. 9/11 was something that someone did ON PURPOSE. So you're damn right this pisses us off.
I agree in theory anything can be funny. OTOH, Some comedians think that that means anything outrageous is automatically funny. Some advertisers think that makes their clip edgey. I'll pass. It's a lame/cheap approach to humor and communication.
As far as being uptight cause I didnt dig this - not hardly. It's just a weak piece of work.
I'm curious to know what people who reside outside of the US think of this image.
Personally I think it's a banal concept and poorly executed.
"Imagine dozens of planes all crashing into NYC at the same time."
It sounds like something a ten year old came up with.
And Photoshop wise, even I could do better and I'm not even in advertising.
Too soon?
Check out this 2004 ad by a Belgian marketing company for HUMO magazine.
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/556/724full.jpg
Betcha this ad KILLS in afghanistan.....
Oh joy, they made a TV spot too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1mFoTQNivc
Michael Bay must be so jealous.
For the love of god...This is just beyond reprehensible. Whoever greenlit this project should be drug into the street and shot like a rabid dog.
I think I'm going to go throw up now.