Hearing that Scope the national disability charity has employed shock tactics in a marketing campaign for the cinemas sends me straight to the DVD shop. Is it the right thing to do or should we be allowed to relax without having distressing images pushed on to us during clearly defined downtime such as going to the cinema?
For me it’s personal. Seven years ago I was made bankrupt, 9/11 stopped everything for a few days and the tight cash flow that was my world strangled a potentially fantastic business. Oh well, so much for the sob story, but I do have a point.
During that time was the proliferation of the get out of debt adverts, right on cue with my own demise I struggled to relax in front of my favourite channel, National Geographic, as I was bombarded with my problems every 15-30 minutes. I felt that I was being invaded with a message I did not want or need, maybe my health even suffered?
The Scope marketing campaign is delivering a message, an important message, but is the vehicle morally correct? Should marketers be allowed to effect peoples lives this much?
Now, this Scope campaign does not affect me directly, i.e. I’m not a disabled victim of violent crime, and the frequency of exposure limited to the silver screen, for now. But, if I were a victim of this crime, what would it do to me?
I’m going to think this over for a few days.
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