Saatchi & Saatchi, the ad agency behind the Stoner Sloth commercials, has spoken up in their defense, saying that they’re actually really good, and that you just don’t get them, man.
The firm has pulled out the old “any publicity is good publicity” argument, saying that the commercials have generated a “significant return on investment and involvement” for the NSW State Government.
If by “involvement”, they mean that the ads have been mocked mercilessly and repeatedly in every corner of the internet, and given a pro-weed site a huge, unintended boost, then yes, they have delivered a shitload of “involvement”.
Saatchi & Saatchi also claim that, if you’re taking the piss out of the ads, you’re simply too old to get them, because they were never aimed at you in the first place. A representative said:
“The videos we created were designed as part of a preventative campaign specifically for teens; the audience is not for adults or long-term cannabis users. Two different creative approaches were pre-tested by independent researchers among the teenage target audience, which verified the potential efficacy for this campaign. … The videos have truly gone viral. The unexpected global media attention is now providing a platform for parents and teenagers all over the world to have ‘the conversation’ about cannabis in an engaging way.”
If you haven’t yet, go ahead and watch David Attenborough meeting Stoner Sloth in its natural habitat.
Story: Fairfax
Photo: You’re Worse On Weed
