Unicef bombs the Smurfs!

[Ghoulish Delight]

In a bizarre campaign, Unicef is set to release a 25 second film in Belgium depicting the Smuf village being fire-bombed mercilessly with the tagline, "Don't let war affect the lives of children."

The received permission from the family of the creator.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/08/wsmurf08.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/08/ixhome.html

[Drince88]

Hmmm, I'm not sure if seeing something like that would compel me to donate money to UNICEF....

[Prudence]

I think that's sick. Just sick. Maybe I'm not understanding the role of Smurfs in Belgium. Here, they're a kids show. And using a kids show for the message, despite the 9pm limit, seems an awful lot to me like they're targeting the message at kids. Is that supposed to shame parents with "wailing terror?"

But again, maybe I don't get it. Maybe it's like Peanuts here and viewers are generally adults reliving their childhoods.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Well, the Smurfs are of Belgian origin, so I'll defer to them on its status as a cultural icon.

[Morrigoon]

Gee, that's just the sort of artwork I'd like to see *my* charitable funds used for (NOT!)

[tracilicious]

Wow. Nothing makes me want to take out my wallet like blown up smurfs.

[Moonliner]

Smurf's? Pain? Suffering? Sign me up! :evil:

I never could stand the blue buggers...

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I disagree with all y'all. They wanted a striking image to represent the suffering of children during wartime. They achieved that.

The Smurfs have been around for nearly 50 years and the images are supposed to affect adults that grew up with the innocent comics and TV show.
Philippe Henon, a spokesman for Unicef Belgium, said his agency had set out to shock, after concluding that traditional images of suffering in Third World war zones had lost their power to move television viewers. "It's controversial," he said. "We have never done something like this before but we've learned over the years that the reaction to the more normal type of campaign is very limited."
The film has won tentative approval from the official Smurf fan club. A spokesman said: "I think it will wake up some people. It is so un-Smurf-like, it might get people to think."
I'd agree.

[Not Afraid]

In a bizarre campaign, Unicef is set to release a 25 second film in Belgium depicting the Smuf village being fire-bombed mercilessly with the tagline, "Don't let war affect the lives of children."

The received permission from the family of the creator.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/10/08/wsmurf08.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/10/08/ixhome.html

I think using a native cultural icon to make a point in a country that experienced merciless fire-bombing can be effective. I'm not Belgian and have no connection to their cultural norms, but maybe this will serve as a good reminder or encourage people to take action so children in other smurflands are not effected. I'm not sure what propelled them to choose to release it now.

[€uroMeinke]

Considering Children are still being firebombed in the world, fire bombing smurfs doesn't seem to far a stretch of the horrific. There are plenty worse things happening to real people and children, if anything the cartoon probably lets them off easy.

[Prudence]

I guess I question their motives. Is the point to make adults stop and think? Or to upset kids who are too young and powerless to have any say in the world and hope that crying kids will shame adults into changing behaviors? The former has its place. The latter is itself shameful. But again, I don't know what the cultural status is. Is it more similar to Peanuts, with nostalgic adult viewers, or more like a long-lived Pokemon with scads of younger viewers.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

I'd bet Peanuts.

[Boss Radio]

Hopefully Smurfette survives, else they face extinction.

[Prudence]

I'd bet Peanuts.

Probably. Remember, I live near WTO central and I'm used to protestors of various sorts shoving pictures of grotesque things into children's faces and shouting that the parents are responsible. Anything to create a scene.

[scaeagles]

I guess I question their motives. Is the point to make adults stop and think? Or to upset kids who are too young and powerless to have any say in the world and hope that crying kids will shame adults into changing behaviors? The former has its place. The latter is itself shameful.

"You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to Prudence again."

I wasn't sure exactly how I felt about this, or how to put it into words, and Prudence did it for me. Well said.

But along the lines of their cultural status, my kids have no idea what a smurf is. However, if they came across this commercial or movie or whatever the hell it is, they probably would be upset at what they saw. My wife and I screen stuff for them, but if we're familiar with the general stuff, we let them watch it (like Winnie the Pooh - who needs to screen Pooh?). If they came across the smurfs on TV, I'd say, OK - go ahead. I wouldn't be happy if they were exposed to them getting firebombed. Pricess Diana didn't start a cartoon campaign with...Winnie the Pooh, say...walking through the Hundred Acre Wood stepping on a landmine and becoming horribly disfigured.

With adults, though, I have no problem with a certain amount of shock, but targeting is so important.

One of the best sermons/speeches I ever heard was by a man named Tony Campolo (yes, I am aware he and Clinton were buddies). He was at the pulpit, and said "Christians need to start giving a sh!t that there are people starving in the world." He paused about 5 seconds and said "And most of you are probably more upset that I said 'sh!t" than the fact there ARE starving people in the world." He was right. So I wonder if people are more upset about the shock value of using Smurfs or the ugliness of firebombing. The issue should be firebombing, not the use of Smurfs.

To again give kudos to Prudence, it is the target audience that is issue.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Hopefully Smurfette survives, else they face extinction.Now now, do we have to go over this again?? Smurfette was created by Gargamel to...oh, forget it. ;)

[Prudence]

I'm not sure which is more disturbing -- scaeagles giving me kudos or realizing that I do remember how Smurfette was created.

[scaeagles]

I'm not sure which is more disturbing -- scaeagles giving me kudos or realizing that I do remember how Smurfette was created.
:p

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

The people of Belgium have been left reeling by the first adult-only episode of the Smurfs, in which the blue-skinned cartoon characters' village is annihilated by warplanes.

The advertising agency behind the campaign, Publicis, decided the best way to convey the impact of war on children was to tap into the earliest, happiest memories of Belgian television viewers. They chose the Smurfs, who first appeared in a Belgian comic in 1958.

It's intended for an adult audience. That doesn't mean some kids won't see it, but it's intention is to appeal to adults. I think it's an interesting campaign. I wonder how effective it will be.

[Morrigoon]

Hopefully Smurfette survives, else they face extinction.

Hey, there's always the Smurflings. You know what they say, if there's grass on the field...








Okay, that was really gross. Smurf paedophilia is just sick. :evil:

[Ghoulish Delight]

Hey, there's always the Smurflings. You know what they say, if there's grass on the field...Actually, wouldn't the Smurfs say, "If there's smurf on the smurf."?

[Cadaverous Pallor]

When they're being bombed, do the smurfs say "Holy smurf! They're smurfing us! For the love of all that is smurfy, why???"

[Ghoulish Delight]

When they're being bombed, do the smurfs say "Holy smurf! They're smurfing us! For the love of all that is smurfy, why???"
One can only hope...

[Morrigoon]

Actually, wouldn't the Smurfs say, "If there's smurf on the smurf."?

"Play smurf!"

[Boss Radio]

After a devastating loss such as the tragedy that has recently humbled all that is Smurfy, we must look deep in our hearts as we dig deep in our pockets to help those who are in need. Yes, they are not like us - they are blue and often annoying - but now they need our help. They have no place else to turn.

Temporary housing has been established at the Smurfdome, but there is simply not enough room for all of them.

Please. Someone needs your help. Someone blue whose life just got a whole lot bluer.

Please give to the Smurf fund.

There will be a benefit concert to aid the Smurf Disaster, which will feature a somber yet uplifting performance by the Blue Man Group. Neil Diamond, New Order and Crystal Gayle will perform "Song Sung Blue", "Blue Monday", and "Don't it Make My Brown Eyes Blue" respectively. Babe the Blue Ox has confirmed a cameo appearance.
Little Boy Blue will host the event.

We'll post updates as we receive breaking news.
Thank you for your support.

[scaeagles]

I think the whole point of the thing is that "George Bush doesn't like blue people."

Save the blue people from the racist that is GWBush.

[Morrigoon]

But blue people are inbred white hicks in the Appalachians, aren't they? So why would Bush hate them? ;)

[€uroMeinke]

How is Gretchen anyway?