Friday, November 4, 2011

F'd Ad Fridays: How many kinds of uncomfortable can you fit into one ad?


In this case, many. And not just the topic, or the visual of the old guy with the teenage prostitute. Asking Canadians abroad to spy on their fellow tourists makes me uncomfortable too. Cybertip is a snitch site that usually focusses on internet child pornography, and does a pretty good job of it. But what they are not very good at is not being creepy when the advertise.


It's not as easy issue to address. But the new ad, by BCP, seems like the wrong way to approach it—both strategically and creatively. AoTW says the real client is the International Bureau for Children's Rights, who do fight against sex tourism. But why would a Canadian in (for example) Cuba contact a Canadian child porn tip site if they suspected another (Canadian?) tourist was hiring the sexual services of a local youth? How exactly is that supposed to work?

According to Cybertip's report form:
Sex tourism or, more specifically, traveling to a foreign country to engage in sexual activity with a child, has become a well-developed component of the commercial-sexual exploitation of children. It is an offence under the Criminal Code for a Canadian to engage in this activity. A person can be tried for this offence upon return to Canada. The offender will be treated as if the incident occurred on Canadian soil, and the penalties will be the same as if the offences had occurred in Canada.

Which is all well, but you would need evidence. Are you supposed to contact local authorities? Ask them what their name is? Take a picture? Or just creepily stare at them through your Foster Grants until they turn themselves in?

It's an important issue requiring public awareness and education. But this ad is just confusing.

1 comment:

  1. How did you figure out, smarty pants, that that is a teenage prostitute? lol

    ReplyDelete