Public service announcements featuring a "Stoner Sloth" character have been created in New South Wales, Australia, to discourage marijuana use, but the ads are backfiring "miserably" and even seem to have attracted a cult following among stoners.
AdWeek dissected the campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi of New York City as part of a push to help teenagers recognize "stoner" behaviors that could be detrimental to their schoolwork and on the social scene. The spots were created as public service announcements for the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Using the tagline "You're Worse on Weed," one Stoner Sloth PSA shows the sloth around the dinner table with his family, apparently unable to pass the salt at his mother's request because he is so out of it.
That one even generated a parody about how bad salt use is for you.
"The colossal failure of the campaign can be seen in reactions online, where it has earned a cult following, seemingly amongst stoners," AdWeek wrote. "There are parody videos, a seemingly endless barrage of jokes on social media and even a 'Pass the Salt' Stoner Sloth T-shirt. Additionally, the ads seem to have driven traffic to the Colorado-based 'cannabis solutions' site Stonersloth.com."
One video in particular has stymied viewers, AdWeek said. It features Stoner Sloth failing at socializing, while all the energetic kids stand around drinking from red cups, a well-known vessel for alcohol.
Needless to say, the Internet has had a field day with the Stoner Sloth campaign:
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