As someone in the advertising field who also happens to be a mother, I appreciate the joint – er, combined effort of the Ad Council and US Forest Service to create a campaign encouraging today’s youth and their parents to get outside. But when I’m strolling through the mall and see this particular execution of the campaign, I’ve got to wonder what they’re smoking:
I get that the child in the ad goes from playing an electronic game to holding a leaf. From a distance, though (which is the only way I was able to view this 2nd story ad located mid-mall), it looks like the kid in the top frame is rolling something…perhaps something illegal. Then in the bottom frame he gets to hold a leaf.
Look, I love the thinking behind this campaign and I think kids should put down the sedentary lifestyle toys and get outside much more often than they do. I also think it’s incumbent upon those behind the campaign to make sure the images don’t look like they promote drugs. That’s all.
~ @AdvertGirl
