You're driving down the streets of Alexandria on a normal day when you see large white writing on a black sign asking "Do you want to die?" or "Do you want to commit suicide?"
Ummm ... we don't know exactly how to react to that question?
The Alexandria-based ad agency Effect for Advertising launched a teaser campaign earlier this week, boldly asking these rather uncomfortable questions. Of course, social media started to buzz with speculation and criticism.
What could this unusual campaign be getting at? Isn't suicide a rather insensitive marketing technique?
Motorists, pedestrians and the trolls of social media were all scratching their heads trying to figure out the point of this bizarre campaign. Then of course, the big reveal came. Drum roll please ...
The signs were teasers for an anti-smoking campaign, reminding viewers that smoking cigarettes has direct negative consequences to their health. Thus, if one continues to smoke, they are threatening their own life.
We can't really argue against the campaign's overall message. Who can argue with science? Perhaps the delivery's shock value was a bit insensitive, however.
But, in the end, the campaign just might have achieved the goal of getting people talking.