In Response to Aislynn Sherry...

Which campaign do you think is more successful? Or will be more successful? Do you think these ads are useful and preventative at all?

The Above The Influence advertisements have always been a campaign that is most certainly out of the ordinary. While watching television channels such as MTV and other of the sort, viewers tend to be of a certain young age. This is when demographics come into play. These viewers are used to getting nailed with advertisements promoting sex, drugs and all other variations of the party scene. So, it is definitely influential to promote abstinence to these viewers since it gives off the complete opposite lifestyle they are used to. I personally have seen multiple Above The Influence advertisements and if at the very least they get me thinking. 

With this being said I definitely think that the Above The Influence advertisement campaign is more effective. They have successfully marketed their cause by creating a genius marketing strategy. It is definitely concentrated towards teenagers and young adults. They took advantage of what all the other companies were advertising on these programs by taking a completely different angle. By catching their consumers off guard, they are able to plant the images of their ad in their minds. Some of the advertisements even make the viewer feel guilty for having done certain activities under the influence. Although they seem to have been successful, there are some flaws. 


Above The Influence can tend to advertise situations that are fairly unrealistic. Sometimes they try and give off the persona that things are so simplistic and healthy if you stay above the influence. But, I believe that if they created real world situations showing that things can be okay, but in moderation, it would be much more beneficial. Personally speaking, if I saw an Above The Influence ad that was corny and childish, I would disregard it. People our age know that getting a bunch of people together for a pizza party on a Friday night wouldn't fly with your peers. But, if us consumers were able to see that instead of "blacking out" on the weekends, there are ways that you can have just as much, if not more fun by taking things in moderation. These ads would in fact have to physically show a portrayal of these events. 


Is my view towards advertising wise for Above The Influence? Would you feel more inclined to make a slight change in your partying habits if the ads were not blaming you for your past substance abuse but rather simply encourage a less drastic form of partying?