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'Tasteless' WWF Ad Exploits 9/11

World Wildlife Fund uses attacks to prove environmental point

By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 1, 2009 12:50 PM CDT

(Newser) – The World Wildlife Fund roars right into "tasteless" territory with a new ad that plays off the 9/11 anniversary, writes David Gianatasio in the AdFreak blog of Adweek. The print ad shows hundreds of planes converging on lower Manhattan with copy that reads: "The tsunami killed 100 times more people than 9/11. The planet is brutally powerful. Respect it. Preserve it."

Says Gianatasio: "Unfortunately, respect is the main thing lacking here. Exploiting one tragedy to try to prevent another is just stupid and self-defeating, and will always backfire."

A new ad from the World Wildlife Fund uses the powerful imagery of the 9/11 attacks.
A new ad from the World Wildlife Fund uses the powerful imagery of the 9/11 attacks.   (World Wildlife Fund)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 30 comments
sailor86
Sep 8, 2010 7:32 PM CDT
I found it to be a totally harmless ad. The sun is bigger than the moon. Is that offensive to moon lovers?
piodalcin
Sep 2, 2009 12:05 PM CDT
using 9\11 for any kind of commercial should be considered illegal
kaja
Sep 2, 2009 7:53 AM CDT
A disaster is measured by the amount of people who die in it? This simplistic view is required by those with the IQ and sensitivity of a gnat. Is the death of humans part of the overall equation at all? The whole "measure the disaster" concept is a childish self serving exercise.

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