Sunday, April 04, 2010



Bad language in an Australian safe-driving ad creates furore

"Unnecessary" is, I think, the word for this:
"A defiant Victorian Government won't dump the taxpayer-funded "don't be a d---head" campaign despite widespread backlash about the foul language.

The Opposition, teacher groups and hundreds of Herald Sun readers say the viral advertising campaign aimed at teaching young drivers to use seatbelts and not to talk on their mobiles is "a disgrace".

Roads Minister Tim Pallas refused to apologise for the bad language, claiming it was worth it if it could save one life. But at the launch of the advertising campaign he refused to use the word "d---head"

The foul language in the nine video clips produced by VicRoads was approved by the Government's Psychology Advisory Group as the best way to get a reaction among young people.

Source

Video at link. The ad also makes a derogatory remark about redheads, which has to be pretty close to racism -- as redheads in Australia are mostly of Scottish and Irish extraction -- so that was remarkably poor taste too.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The ad also makes a derogatory remark about redheads"

No matter how much the truth hurts it must be stated!

Anonymous said...

Offensive? Perhaps, but it does make the point, which is, getting the attention of young people, which is not an easy thing to do. Besides, (and unfortunately) there really are lots of dickheads in the world.

Anonymous said...

Government is better than you. They may do things - you may not do them. Bow down and accept what they do, slave. They know better than you do.