New ad campaign: Earth is the real terrorist, or something
posted at 5:45 pm on September 1, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
How badly did the ad agency DDB Brazil miscalculate on its new campaign for the World Wildlife Fund? Badly enough that the WWF says they may sue DDB-B for releasing this print ad without authorization and with their logo prominently featured. But hey — what sells conservation awareness better than minimizing the mass murder of 3,000 people by terrorists?
“The tsunami killed 100 times more people than 9/11. The planet is brutally powerful. Respect it. Preserve it.”
Wow! Sounds like the Earth is the real terrorist. I propose choking it to death with carbon dioxide! If we implement cap-and-trade, the really brutal terrorist wins.
Even better than the potential lawsuit from their client is the award DDB-B won from The One Show this year. Has the “merit” award ever been given to an unauthorized ad that was immediately disowned by the agency’s client? Maybe DDB-B can pay its legal retainer with their plaque.
Whoever thought of trivializing and commercializing the murders of 3,000 people for an ad campaign about conservation needs to search deep within themselves to determine whether their soul exists. (via The Corner)
Update: WWF sent me this response, to underscore their unhappiness (which I mention above):
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.
As I noted from the beginning.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
You’re dumb if you think the WWF didn’t *wink*approve*wink* of this being released.
lorien1973 on September 1, 2009 at 5:46 PM
An easy feat coming from an organization founded by a eugenicist. Odd, though, that they’d portray the mass slaughter of third-world people as something bad. Most eugenicists think that’s progress.
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 5:47 PM
OMFG
skree on September 1, 2009 at 5:47 PM
No Money from me for the WWF…..
originalpechanga on September 1, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Did they really mean to imply that the Boxing Day tsunami was the result of people not respecting the earth?
MarkTheGreat on September 1, 2009 at 5:48 PM
All Panda Bears are terrorists: this is a well-know fact.
pseudonominus on September 1, 2009 at 5:49 PM
A tsunami is a natural event, like an earthquake or a thunder storm. It had no intent. It is an impersonal act.
The terror attacks of 9-11 were orchestrated, man made event designed to murder innocent human beings simply going about their lives.
The idiocy of the eco/earth/animal crowd is staggering. They are morally retarded.
Daddy-O on September 1, 2009 at 5:50 PM
well that’s a creepy picture……..
Ozprey on September 1, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Using air conditioners and driving SUVs makes tsunamis come. That’s why you must sacrifice to stop the Earth from sending tsunamis.
Hmmm…boy, that sounds familiar…
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 5:50 PM
What sick twisted mind would sit at the computer creating this “ad” in photoshop and then go about the process of preparing it for print, thinking they have created some masterpiece with a “cutting edge” message?
Huh?? Anyone???
izoneguy on September 1, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Exactly my take on the ad. Respect it… cause it’s trying to kill you!
Esthier on September 1, 2009 at 5:50 PM
This ad is tasteless but the point, that in big picture terms 3000 people is tiny compared to the number dying in other tragedies is true. Stupid advertising concept though.
libertytexan on September 1, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Throw a virgin into the volcano to pacify it!
Esthier on September 1, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Obama created the “one club”? Wow! Just WOW!
WashJeff on September 1, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Sheer doped insanity.
profitsbeard on September 1, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Damn you Mother Earth!
rob verdi on September 1, 2009 at 5:54 PM
If we waterboarded the earth, do you think it would crack?
Kafir on September 1, 2009 at 5:54 PM
Disgusting.
Man made disasters vs. Natural disasters. One can be stopped if leaders have testicular fortitude. One cannot be stopped.
Stop the world, I want to get off.
HornetSting on September 1, 2009 at 5:55 PM
What do plains flying around New York have to do with Obama’s “Day of Service”…?
Seven Percent Solution on September 1, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Where’s blatantblue?
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 5:55 PM
That’s not the point. Tsunamis and earthquakes have happened for centuries. The 9/11 attacks had not.
Del Dolemonte on September 1, 2009 at 5:55 PM
Tsunami caused by non-related geological non-human involvement compared to 9/11 brought on by men who want to bring their version of heaven to all?
Yeah… the only comparison I see is WWF relates to those who want total distruction of the earth, as long as the animals aren’t hurt.
hmmm
upinak on September 1, 2009 at 5:56 PM
Thanks to the left I’m not sure we could find enough to pacify Mother Gaia?
chemman on September 1, 2009 at 5:57 PM
When you think about how many people are involved in creating an ad campaign, it’s absolutely mindblowing to me that not one of them realized this was in incredibly poor taste. And this sort of thing happens more often than it should.
All of these morons should be fired.
NoLeftTurn on September 1, 2009 at 5:57 PM
I can’t see it very well….which one of those planes is Air Force One?
genso on September 1, 2009 at 5:57 PM
Mt. Vesuvius?
WashJeff on September 1, 2009 at 5:59 PM
Look at the angles for all the visible aircraft it looks like they are all aiming for a building.
chemman on September 1, 2009 at 5:59 PM
waiting on that virgin…
upinak on September 1, 2009 at 6:00 PM
That’s a winner.
chemman on September 1, 2009 at 6:00 PM
This is true, but 9/11′s impact wasn’t in its death toll but rather as an attack on the United States, the worst we’ve ever received. And while we can take measures against terrorists trying that again, not even environmental nuts are claiming the same thing will work with Gaia.
I think you scared him off for awhile.
Esthier on September 1, 2009 at 6:01 PM
So the WWF makes their internation headquarters in the NEatherlands. A country that artificially manipulates nature, e.g., the Delta project, for its survival. Why they are in country that does not let nature be, well, natural, confuses me.
WashJeff on September 1, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Please don’t forget Hawaii. :(
upinak on September 1, 2009 at 6:02 PM
What? You’re saying this wasn’t the flyover picture?
/sarc
genso on September 1, 2009 at 6:02 PM
I am in the bizarro world.
jukin on September 1, 2009 at 6:03 PM
Last time someone said that to me I got a dinner date with Pelosi!
WashJeff on September 1, 2009 at 6:03 PM
“From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor” an excellent book of the good old days of advertising, back in the early 70′s, comes to mind. At least we knew when it came out that the author, Jerry Della Femina, was speaking tongue in cheek at the time.
But this? Seems that knowledge of the culture the advert is going to address is a prime requisite. In this case, the ad agency had no clue. Poor taste? Certainly. WWF? Probably a huge number of their membership will find nothing offensive in this ad.
WWE? That is a different horse of a different color entirely. /s
coldwarrior on September 1, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Never. Pearl Harbor was bad, but, unless I’m mistaken, 9/11 was slightly worse in death toll and property destruction.
Though certainly both were unbelievable sucker punches.
Esthier on September 1, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Doesn’t WWF read DU? They should know that the tsunami was caused by Bush setting off nukes on underwater fault lines in the Pacific. There’s your real terrorist!
rw on September 1, 2009 at 6:04 PM
Just saying the add picture is far more crude than a first glace indicates.
chemman on September 1, 2009 at 6:05 PM
I would love to comment, but my pot of manatee stew is about to boil over.
Doorgunner on September 1, 2009 at 6:07 PM
Sick. Just sick.
journeyintothewhirlwind on September 1, 2009 at 6:07 PM
They’re sucker punches because we tend to exist in one of two states: oblivious or stunned.
If the pattern keeps up, these things will just keep happening.
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Does drilling in the arctic for core samples count as an EIT? If so, can we retroactively ring climate scientists up on human rights charges, even though at the time they thought they were extracting information within the bounds of the law?
omriceren on September 1, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Human sacrifice will appease Ghia, details at 10:00 …
Ghostbuster on September 1, 2009 at 6:08 PM
While the One Show is a prestigious advertising awards competition, the Merit is the least of its awards – equal to an honorable mention. Beyond Merit, there’s Bronze, Silver and Gold. I don’t know how it is today, but in the past, ad awards shows – the One Show included – were notorious for ad teams creating and producing ads just to enter, regardless of whether they were client authorized or whether they ran. I know of at least one ad that was disqualified from a major One Show award when the advertiser immediately complained they’d never approved or authorized it.
bgoldman on September 1, 2009 at 6:08 PM
There isn’t a virgin within 150 miles of Blatantblue. Just ask him.
portlandon on September 1, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Is that Air Force One I see in the foreground?
TXUS on September 1, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Ed, you missed another important point here. Pressumably the ad is about global warming/polution, yes? Well, the tsunami was caused by an earthquake. “Earth”? Yes. “Environment”? No.
Is the point here that we can somehow prevent earthquakes to save animals? We will never be able to prevent earthquakes. At best, we may be able to improve prediction techniques.
I just don’t get the point of the tsunami being brought in to the “respect/preserve” the planet argument.
My point is, the add is not only offensive, but it’s incredibly stupid and makes no sense.
RightWinged on September 1, 2009 at 6:10 PM
You mean it will please an automobile bodywork designer? Or did you mean it will please Gaia, ther Greek goddess of the Earth whose name is now a major part of ecospeak?
bgoldman on September 1, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Soooo…
The WWF respects stuff when it kills people?
um, okay.
bitsy on September 1, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Perhaps we should direct “stimulus” funding to the building of large stepped pyramids across the nation. Then line up all those who want to pay the ultimate price to “save the earth” and one by one offer them to Gaia so they can meet the “earth goddess” to atone for the “sins” of mankind.
That should take care of a massive block of Leftist voters right there. /s
coldwarrior on September 1, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Considering our current president’s way of “remembering” 9/11, I think we both know the “if” in your statement is completely unnecessary.
Esthier on September 1, 2009 at 6:12 PM
It’s amazing, the “intelligence” and “sophistication” of these people. Somehow in all their brilliance, they cannot grasp the concept that one was an act of nature, the other of demented individuals. For liberals, I guess the “nuance” escaped them.
GarandFan on September 1, 2009 at 6:13 PM
Errr… what exactly are we suppossed to do to prevent tsunami’s? No, wait, I don’t want to know.
bitsy on September 1, 2009 at 6:14 PM
Climate change was an inside job! They’re all little Eco-Eichmanns!
—
Why don’t they just show concentration camp prisoners shoved into a fire to illustrate global warming? Maybe skulls from the killing fields lined up to illustrate traffic jams?
Or maybe Brazil’s just been hanging around Venezuela too much.
CPL 310 on September 1, 2009 at 6:15 PM
Serves 80!
CPL 310 on September 1, 2009 at 6:16 PM
WWF = fraud, whether it’s wildlife or wrestling.
jgapinoy on September 1, 2009 at 6:17 PM
We’ve got Sarah. Earth is toast.
Christien on September 1, 2009 at 6:18 PM
There isn’t a tax cheat within 150 miles of Obama. Just ask him.
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 6:19 PM
No one is forgetting that attack, but the two attacks can’t really be compared except for the numerical statistic of those killed. In the case of the Pearl Harbor attack, all but about 60 to 70 or so of those killed were in the military, and only military installations were attacked.
On 9/11, 3 out of the 4 targets were civilian buildings. The plane that went down in Shanksville was aimed at either the White House or the Capitol.
Del Dolemonte on September 1, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Pass the healthcare bill. That will solve all our problems. Didn’t you get the email?
genso on September 1, 2009 at 6:19 PM
Speaking of environmental wackos, I was just listening to Bob Dylan’s Slow Train Comin’, & back in the early 80s he laments the Arab control of our economy:
It’s much worse now! Drill here, drill now, baby.
North to Alaska!
jgapinoy on September 1, 2009 at 6:20 PM
Drop the tsunami, Gaia, or the baby seal gets it!
Christien on September 1, 2009 at 6:21 PM
Proof positive that the environmental movement is fundamentally a religious movement.
The members of Al Qaeda made a decision to kill 3000+ people on 9/11 as moral agents.
The Earth (Gaia, whatever) made a decision to kill 300000+ people in the tsunami as a moral agent.
And people thought Gingrich was crazy for saying we’re “surrounded by paganism”.
spmat on September 1, 2009 at 6:21 PM
I’m packing heat to protect my family from the earth. I figured a real gun might not be enough. So I experimented with a potato gun. Too small. Now the earth will get shot with a pumpkin gun if we’re attacked.
Jeff from WI on September 1, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Un.
Freaking.
Believable.
I hope any advertisers that are boycotting Glenn Beck’s program have the peaches to pull any work from DDB Worldwide.
mctowler on September 1, 2009 at 6:23 PM
exactly!
Jeff from WI on September 1, 2009 at 6:23 PM
actually, the death toll on Hawaii was much higher then 70 or 80. It was in the hundreds. The lowest military causualties were Marines, and only 40 at most died.
I have a friend who was there as a child during the attack. I wish she would write a book on her experience of what she saw…
upinak on September 1, 2009 at 6:26 PM
oh heck no!
I am tired of seeing all these plates from out of state. Go to Canada! I am blocking the borders.
upinak on September 1, 2009 at 6:27 PM
Oh no, not the baby seal! Can we trade, perhaps I can interest you in a half man, half rat? Goes by the name Waxman…..
HornetSting on September 1, 2009 at 6:27 PM
1. Sponsor offensive ad.
2. Make bogus accusations against an ad agency.
3. Collect donations because of all the free publicity.
4. Profit!
pedestrian on September 1, 2009 at 6:29 PM
We have to destroy the earth in order to save it.
JohnGalt23 on September 1, 2009 at 6:30 PM
We got to do something! We are in mortal danger!
Maybe AlGore can solve all of this for us?
After all, he’s serial.
coldwarrior on September 1, 2009 at 6:32 PM
Has anyone seen a teary eyed Native American chief around here?
Jeff from WI on September 1, 2009 at 6:33 PM
Memo to DDB-Brazil lawyers: the World Wildlife Fund is serious when they say they may sue you. This is an organization that went to court to keep Vince McMahon and Hulk Hogan from apparently confusing the masses by implying that WWF exists to preserve piledrivers rather than pandas.
radjah shelduck on September 1, 2009 at 6:35 PM
Who’s up for a Spotted Owl roast?
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 6:35 PM
I feel the same about those darn Flat Landers from Illinois and those old lady style drivers from Minnesota.
Jeff from WI on September 1, 2009 at 6:35 PM
If the Dem Party didn’t take people like this seriously, this group would just be a fringe group on starvation rations. Or its members would have to go out and get real jobs.
I blame the Dems and might call my Congresscritter tomorrow to thank him for having a big hand in putting out this kind of offensive sh!t.
Liam on September 1, 2009 at 6:38 PM
Ummm I will be frank.
I have seen more OR, WI and California plates then I can handle. Take your people back!!!!! The massive RV’s are just road hogging or like you say… old lady style driving me to insanity!
Let me not foget the Alberta people. UGH. It is MPH not KPH!!!
upinak on September 1, 2009 at 6:38 PM
You’re both sexist and ageist. Oh, and Flat Landerist.
genso on September 1, 2009 at 6:40 PM
Is 9/11 not to be marked this year to show respect for Ramadan?
BL@KBIRD on September 1, 2009 at 6:45 PM
Gotta hand it to Iowahawk when he called Mother Earth the ultimate MILF.
Christien on September 1, 2009 at 6:47 PM
Wisconsin? Really?
MadisonConservative on September 1, 2009 at 6:49 PM
O
M
G
*picking up jaw from table…*
catmman on September 1, 2009 at 6:53 PM
According to wiki
2,345 military and 57 civilians killed,
1,247 military and 35 civilians wounded
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor
Del Dolemonte on September 1, 2009 at 6:53 PM
The earth is already covered with water on 2/3 of its surface, and cracks whenever it wants.
Bigfoot on September 1, 2009 at 6:57 PM
Just in time for remembering 9/11.
It’s like they knew what they were doing…
catmman on September 1, 2009 at 6:58 PM
On 9/11, 3 out of the 4 targets were civilian buildings. The plane that went down in Shanksville was aimed at either the White House or the Capitol.
Del Dolemonte on September 1, 2009 at 6:19 PM
How is the Pentagon a civilian building?
joejm65 on September 1, 2009 at 7:02 PM
Dems and Libs went ballistic when Pubs used 9/11 images during the 2004 campaign. My, how things change…
joejm65 on September 1, 2009 at 7:03 PM
As iditoic as this ad is, winning a “merit” ad in The One Show means it came in third in category. There’s a Gold, a Silver, and a Certificate of Merit in each category. Why this ad got one is beyond me, the same as why anyone with half a brain would authorize it being produced, on either the agency OR client side. This is evidence par excellence that the age of creativity is dead, replaced by horses farting (Budweiser) and this BS as “creative” advertising. It’s what happens when people retire or are forced out of the business at age 50 and replaced by people with little or no talent. Now you have the blind leading the blind, and everyone can see it daily in print or on television.
bradley11 on September 1, 2009 at 7:10 PM
How many CFLs are we gonna have to buy to compensate for the tons of CO2 those fires in CA are spewing out?
whitetop on September 1, 2009 at 7:18 PM
Sombody get me a bucket! I wanna waterboard me some terrorist tsunamis!
Scrappy on September 1, 2009 at 7:22 PM
Whoever thought that this ____* would fly deserves to be taken behind the woodshed and having an educational moment pounded into their brainless head.
*sanitized for your protection
hillbillyjim on September 1, 2009 at 7:32 PM
I think it’s really interesting that first of all they’ve got those unbelievably distasteful planes surrounding NY when we all know that those horrible planes “destroy the earth” /sarc.
Also, I wonder what the outcry from the left would be if a pro-life group used the current abortion statistics from this past year and compared it to 9/11? Would they deem that inappropriate? (crickets, anyone?)
The whole thing is sick and twisted on so many, many different levels. We will NEVER forget what happened that day, and never forget those whose lives were stolen from them.
acleaver on September 1, 2009 at 7:34 PM
How do you waterboard something made of water? I suggest incarceration in Death Valley.
Just being a pain, since you’re letting me get away with it.
Liam on September 1, 2009 at 7:35 PM
Obviously, I
screwed upwee weed upmade a hash out of the HTML. Sorry.hillbillyjim on September 1, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Not so fast, Allah. Hasn’t DOJ determined that blowing cigar smoke into a terrorist’s face is torture? If so, I think you have to go back to the Army field manual.
BuckeyeSam on September 1, 2009 at 7:36 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »