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Best and Worst PSA's

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keyboardplayer View Drop Down
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    Posted: 03 Jun 2009 at 10:44pm
What are your favorite or least favorite PSA's from any decade from TV or radio? Also, I'm trying to start an archive of old radio PSA's, so if anyone is able to post video or audio files, that would be awesome.
This is your brain on commercials.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Irishman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jun 2009 at 11:58pm
PSAs I liked: The 'Woodsy Owl/Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute' campaign; the older Smokey the Bear ads(before the started getting really 'cute'); and the American Lung Association ads with the 'Peanuts' characters-'It's a matter of life and breath.; NBC's 'One to Grow On' ads in the '80s.
 
PSAs I don't like: Most of the 'Say No to drugs' ads are too stupidly done to be effective;
The recent 'Stop saying "That's gay"' campaign.
Any of those 'The Truth' anti-tobacco ads, which make the anti-smoking lobby as obnoxious as big tobacco.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote meinga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2009 at 1:46am
I really don't recall any PSA's that I have liked, I hate most of them. I've wanted to rant about a current PSA with this drug dealer in a yellow shirt standing outside a 7-11 talking to a camera guy about how his customers are getting drugs out the the medicine cabinet and hurting his business.  Look, I get the message and he's the bad guy as well as teens having access to RX drugs to replace illegal ones. But, I just can't stand to look at this guy, his mannorisms or his voice.  This creep bugs me to no end and I change the channel instantly. 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2009 at 3:31am
I don't think I've ever mentioned it on these boards (as opposed to a Twilight Zone site), but there was one about L.S.D. narrated by Rod Serling. It showed these distorted pictures (seen through a user's eyes), and Serling said "You're looking at a bad trip."
With that one-of-a-kind voice of his. He could do so much with a little line like that. So no matter what you thought of that particular PSA, it really stayed with you.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2009 at 8:36am
A few I like:
 
 
Some are just so embarrassingly bad, they are humorous.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2009 at 8:52am

A few classics.

 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ad Endless Nauseum Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2009 at 11:07am
I dislike nearly anything done by "the ad council". I wish they would dry up and blow away. I am tired of smarmy, holier than thou, we know best, preachy annoying pablum free advice that I did not ask for.

PSAs are the ad industry's way to try to atone for what they shove down our throats the rest of the time. I ain't buyin' it.
"Si vis pacem, para bellum"

Defense de fumer et de cracher

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote specialkt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Jun 2009 at 2:11pm
i agree with the "dont describe things as gay campaign" - i get it, but really??
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote keyboardplayer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jun 2009 at 1:25am
Does anybody remember a PSA from 1998 that showed a girl on meth cleaning obsessively and then scratching like crazy with this perky little song playing in the background? I think it's hillarious now because it was so bad, but it scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. My favorites are the ones that startle you because you're not sure what they're advertising until the end.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Grant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jun 2009 at 1:32am
During the height of those cocaine ones (about 1987-88), with the former users talking to you very dramatically, I used to see an ad that started with a black and white close-up of a man who started talking to you in a very intense way. Then it turned into a very happy commercial for a Mexican restaurant! I'll never forget how much I enjoyed that, after expecting yet another cocaine PSA.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote IceFroggyFrog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jun 2009 at 7:44pm
One of the best and the worst and my favorite is an older one (early 90's) with former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, on hearing loss. Unfortunately I can't find a video, but it was very over the top with this sweaty actor saying he went deaf from listening to music too loud, and C. Ev. Koop sitting in a suit and sternly telling the kids, "Some teens like listening to music TOO LOUD. They think it's 'COOL'. Well, deafness is not only not 'cool', it's incurable!".

The Pee-Wee/crack one might be my least favorite ever, it just freaks me out.
And he was forced to do a PSA, right, but was he forced to do it in-character as Pee-Wee?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Irishman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Jun 2009 at 4:48pm
At that point, Paul Reubens had never done anything 'out of character', and it's possible that some of his younger fans might not have even known for sure that it was really him, if he wasn't dressed for the part.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bluenowait Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Jun 2009 at 12:41am
I really don't like the commercials by Above the Influence, not just because they're ridiculously stupid, but because they attack one of the least harmful drugs out there, marijuana. I have this friend who has done marijuana plenty of times, and I he doesn't become violent when he's high; I'm he's just easy going. Pot works better for me him than any other prescription drug I he ever took. I think Above the Influence should focus more on harder drugs like crys- Hey, 'Up in Smoke' is on, cool!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PrinceJ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jun 2009 at 1:45pm
My least favorite PSA is the Hispanic Robot guy who can't swim anymore because he esmoked too many cigarettes.  All the anti smoking commercials have become so gross I can't watch them anymore.
"Even an old fart was once a breath of fresh air"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sherrah012 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 15 Jun 2009 at 9:48pm
Originally posted by keyboardplayer keyboardplayer wrote:

Does anybody remember a PSA from 1998 that showed a girl on meth cleaning obsessively and then scratching like crazy with this perky little song playing in the background? I think it's hillarious now because it was so bad, but it scared the crap out of me when I was a kid. My favorites are the ones that startle you because you're not sure what they're advertising until the end.
 
Yeah, I remember this one!  The song went, "I can't sleep, and I can't eat, but I got the cleanest house on the street!" or something.  I thought it was an ad for cleaning products as a kid, in all honesty.  Haha.
 
Anyway, I think the Darkness2Light child molestation ads are both creeptastic and effective.  There's the one where "Uncle Al" talks about how he's been to your wedding, had dinner at your house, used your remote, and that you know him well... but you don't know what he does to your kid when you're not around!  There's another with a coach who has had coffee with you, gives your kids rides home, and "plays fun games" when you're not around.
 
I feel bad for the dudes playing the child molesters... I wonder if any of them pick up their kids from school, and all the mommies are like "GET AWAY YOU DIRTY PEDOPHILE!"  I'd never want to play such a character.
 
I think they need to feature women and non-white guys in their ads, because sadly, anyone can be a pedophile.  But I digress.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote The Last Brain Left Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2009 at 3:34am
This Canadian one is not for the queasy:


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote regulus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2009 at 2:37pm
They once had one for wearing Seat Belts (Before wearing them became mandatory), called "What's Your Excuse?" where they'd feature someone giving their excuse, and the aftermath.
 
For Example a guy would say "Why should I wear my Seatbelt, I'm only going to the Corner Store!", the next scene he's sitting in a Wheelchair, One leg in a Cast, one arm in a Cast and Sling, and his head all bandaged up!
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PaWolf Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2009 at 4:33pm
Originally posted by regulus regulus wrote:

They once had one for wearing Seat Belts (Before wearing them became mandatory), called "What's Your Excuse?" where they'd feature someone giving their excuse, and the aftermath.
 
For Example a guy would say "Why should I wear my Seatbelt, I'm only going to the Corner Store!", the next scene he's sitting in a Wheelchair, One leg in a Cast, one arm in a Cast and Sling, and his head all bandaged up!
 
ConfusedYea, o.k...but did they make it to the corner store?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote regulus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Jun 2009 at 5:31pm
^^That's a good question, they NEVER mentioned if the accident occured on the way to or from the store!Confused
 
"The "This is your brain on Drugs" Commercial has been spoofed heaven knows how many times, usually at Sports or Political Rallys, where someone will hold up a sign with the Favored Team or Candidate as "Your Brain" and the Opponunt as "Your Brain on Drugs"!LOL
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JasonTKD Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Jun 2009 at 2:24am
That "Cartoon Allstars to the Rescue" special about drugs. Worst PSA ever.
 
Best PSA was one the sneaked into an ep of Batman: The Animated Series, when Batman saves a kid who got his foot caught on a train (the kids were playing a game of "chicken")
 
Batman: "Play chicken too long...and you FRY."
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote LOT Tu-134 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 2:45am
For the worst, I would have to say some of those "Get up and Play" commercials. The most annoying one though is the one that starts with those 4 female athletes, and one of them goes "I think a little to the left" and it ends up being them playing kickball with the kids. That's not the part that is annoying, it's that horrid song they play. "Get up Get up Get up Be a Playa get up get up get up." Ugh, one of the worst things I've ever heard, a 1000Hz sound Block would've been better.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cornholio Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 6:32am
I like the "that's gay" ads.   It's about time someone addresses the fact that people's lifestyle is being used as an insult or a negative adjective.    If you're going to call something you don;t like "gay", why not also call it black, white, Hispanic, Asian, etc?    The reason why we have such a big deal made over a non-issue like gay marriage is that gays are one of the last groups that one can be openly biased against and hate without the social reaction one would get for hating another group(such as Jews, blacks, etc.).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HollyRock Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 6:38pm


I like this one for cheese
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote MrCleveland Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Jun 2009 at 8:55pm
Best-Indian pollution one from the 70's. Though it's staged...it's STILL good!
 
Worst-Any new anti-smoking PSA, like the one where the roomates eat sh*tty food, but one guy lights a cigarette! That one pisses me off!

It's also the 40th Anniversary when our river, the Cuyahoga caught fire!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote keyboardplayer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Jun 2009 at 2:38am
This was before my time, but does anybody remember "VD is for everybody"? I wonder how many kids thought VD was something good, and wanted it.
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