Take your own advice.
I've spent a good part of the day trying to wrap my head around the "Think B4 You Speak" campaign that's started making the rounds. Before I jump all over the campaign (fear not, I will) I want to make it absolutely clear that I think that the cause is quite noble, and that, in fact, I agree with the message, but not with how it has been delivered.
The problems start at the very top with the strategic direction chosen to get the message across. Essentially, it's an anti-insult campaign that tries to assert itself by insulting the target of their message. This might have worked, except that the "slanders" used aren't brutal enough to warrant a second glance. Let's face it. Nobody ever responds to this kind of message, and lamely telling them to "knock it off" likens the whole thing to a group of 6 year old children on the schoolyard, exchanging insults that they don't really understand, eventually resorting to shouting things like "I know you are but what am I?", all while threatening to escalate the issue (tell their mother).
They're trying to regulate jerk behaviour by acting like jerks, and unfortunately, they don't have the chops to pull it off. Essentially, they've brought a knife to a gun fight, and the guys with the guns have itchy trigger fingers.
- Tagged in: strategy, branding, culture, design
- Category: Advertising
Thanks Shane for your input on the “Think B4 You Speak” campaign. While I whole heartedly agree that this is a noble campaign strategy, I beleive that there is also a cause that could benefit by this type of awareness advertising. It’s a little something I call “Think B4 You Abbreviate”.
Everyday millions of people are abbreviating without a single thought about the population around them that are offended by their short-handed satire. Everyday religious people live in fear at the site of “OMG” being text to them while they go about their daily routines. Having to see the Lord’s name taken in vain over and over again must make them shudder with disgust. And oh no, it doesn’t stop there! No one ever stops to think when using “BFF” that maybe, just maybe there is some poor member of the Bangladesh Football Federation (the governing body of football in Bangladesh) weeping into his sweaty hanky over the fact that he is not getting the recognition he deserves. I mean, for crying out loud, they can’t even afford jerseys as they are so poorly noted (see Bangladesh Relief Fund Soccer Uniform Drive for donations)
The list goes on and on, and quite frankly I can’t bring myself to continue, but something needs to be done. The LOL’ers and the ROFLMAO’ers must stop this insulting behavior before it goes too far! And to make things worse, the tag line ” Knock It Off” has already been abused by the abbreviation demons…KIO!!! Where will the madness end?
Someone should write to their MP, or maybe the PM. I’m sure there is a CEO that can come up with a solution. Surely there is a VP that has some sort of pull. We may need to start staffing more Dr.‘s, RN’s, and RPN’s to provide support for these slighted groups. RSVP ASAP if you have any solutions or strategies to help with this dilemma.