What if we simply did nothing?

I saw an ad that Darryl found yesterday. (Follow the link trail there and then go to the source he found it at.) This ad is sure to raise more of a blogging storm over the next few days than it currently is, trust me. After all, ‘viral’ doesn’t just apply to wild stunt videos.

People are speaking out against its misogynistic imagery bordering on extreme violent fantasies—that is until the next controversial ad rears its ugly head. Maybe they’ll continue their email campaign too that you’ll see when you read the comments. Thing is, it’s ads like this that always result in the same type of public outcry every single time. Suicidal GM robots, gay Snickers kissing ads and group sex last February. Racist Obama ads during the campaign? Pick any one you want. Suicidal Pepsi Max cans this past month. So here’s a novel idea:

What if we simply did nothing?

I don’t mean forget about it. Email the company if you want, by all means. Send to all your friends privately and get them to email directly. Don't shop at that retailer or buy their product. Whatever. Just don’t post the image of the ads anywhere or blog about it by mentioning the brand. (You aren’t going to affect the ones who love the brand anyway.) Lest the kids forget, the goal of advertising is still to get attention for the brand.

Especially fashion brands.

Brands like D&G, American Apparel and even PETA all live for the controversy. They do not care that you are offended because they don’t see it that way. To them, wait for it..., Any pr is what? Good PR! Every single time someone gets offended and runs to a keyboard, the brand gets the attention it wouldn’t have otherwise gotten.

And we all helped.

Take away the power for the ad to mean something by not giving it undo attention. That’s why there’s a black image up top and why Darryl’s is the only link I posted for this particular brand, (whose name I also didn’t mention so as not to give them additional buzz).*

Imagine what would have happened if nobody saw that suicidal Pepsi Max ad. It's gone and forgotten in no time. Instead, as it is with the very serious issue of suicide, the offended took to the blogosphere and in some cases, shamelessly used that space to exploit the memory of a loved one who had ended their own lives.

While the intention may have been good, it shifted the focus away from a brand’s mistake to being about the person’s own loss, which then elicits sympathy for said blogger or commenter. Whenever this happens, it’s more pathetic than the ad that runs. (Do people really feel their outrage would be taken less seriously had they not backed it up with a personal anecdote related to the topic at hand?)

I am offended so I must be heard seems to be the new...

Why don’t the offended realize their actions work against the very thing they’re trying to stop: The offending ad. Even if it eventually gets yanked, any questionable ad has already achieved it’s stated goal by getting attention for the brand. Lots of it if the major media picks up on the bitching bloggers. As each lower layer starts to thrash, the sharks above come looking for any sign of something to go after. At that point, it blows up big—or levels off.

Unless you send the link to your friends.

*Yes, I realize that by showing a solid color, I’m just creating more curiosity, but why not try something different. The way we’ve been doing things doesn’t seem to be working.