Learning to Speak the Language

I hate anti-drug ads.

Now I understand and agree with the importance of instilling good values in children, trying as hard to keep them pure as humanly possible; but as we all well know, eventually all the gospel-preaching is going to fall on deaf ears. Experimentation is pretty much inevitable.

To date, I've seen only one anti-drug ad that reaches its audience in a realistic way. For the most part, teens and adults alike laugh these incredibly cheesy messages off (just search YouTube for "abovetheinfluence" and see what comments have been posted); and who from the 80s doesn't remember giggling at the famous emotionally-charged line, "I learned it from watching you, Dad!".

Which is why I like this new ad by abovetheinfluence.com. Instead of a creepy talking Beagle or a girl melted upon herself, it uses irony to relay its message. Which I think is far more effective for a smart-assed teen audience.



That, or this is a true sign that I'm getting old.