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They had the best of intentions, but certain public service campaigns ended up making something really bad for you appear awesome. The bad experiences were tempered to keep from frightening children, which only undermined the message. And some downright pushed the bad stuff, like a 1997 physical fitness campaign featuring children gorging themselves on chocolate cake.
Look back at those screencaps! You’ve never enjoyed anything as much as those children did those chocolate cakes. They make fudge smoothies (which, we’re sorry, is a bad idea how? That’s the entire business model of Cold Stone Creamery) and even build whole fortresses out of chocolate; that’s like the most fun afternoon of anybody’s childhood. Have you guys never seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? It’s like all the best parts of that movie come to life, and without all the child murder.
Other campaigns managed to make drugs and venereal disease look attractive. Read about them all at Cracked. Link
Methodist Hospital in Houston has some advice for football fans who are looking forward to the Super Bowl this Sunday: don’t forget to pee.
“During most sporting events people will get up and use the restroom during the commercials and not have any problem,” said Dr. Jeff Kalina, associate medical director of emergency medicine at Methodist. “However, most of the time the commercials are the best part of the Super Bowl, so we have seen people who have to come in and have a catheter put in to relieve themselves.”
Super Bowl TV ads: Annoying and dangerous.
Methodist says “people who drink too much and fail to get up and go to the bathroom can also develop a problem called urinary retention, a condition where the bladder gets so full that the muscles are not strong enough to generate a stream.”
Link -via The Big Game
Anti-drug PSA’s just got a whole lot scarier, thanks to this slick new campaign that warns against using Meth.
Directed by Darren Aronofsky, of Black Swan and Requiem For A Dream fame, they all start out with a seemingly benign shot of the user. Then the camera pulls out to reveal a scene of horror meant to illustrate what you’re getting yourself into if you decide to try Meth, and it ain’t pretty.
So, instead of just saying “Don’t Do Meth”, these scary ads show you why you shouldn’t mess around. No argument here! You can see them all at the DesignTAXI link below.
The conundrum is: you you want to look cool, or avoid being haunted by your dead friend for the rest of your life? This anti-drunk driving ad is from New Zealand. -via reddit
Jeff Wysaski printed up a public service announcement based on the HBO series Game of Thrones. It was posted at a veterinary office. Look how healthy his dire wolf is! See it full size at Pleated Jeans. Link
If you drive just 5 MPH slower, you can shave 100 feet off your stopping distance. But are you willing to accept the consequences of doing so? This funny PSA from The Midnight Show explains to you in blunt imagery the price you’ll have to pay for your thoughtful, careful driving.
-via Joe Carter | Official Website
This 1980s PSA from the lovable Star Wars droids is so hilariously nonsensical that it almost works. Artoo could conceivably smoke all he likes, though I don’t know why he’d bother, but he won’t–for the children. Love it. I think a reprisal is in order, though, because “You don’t want to sell me death sticks, ” and “You want to go home and rethink your life,” would be much more effective. Assuming the Jedi Mind Trick works via television.
rougeliter via G.TDW
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Do you spend hours, if not days at a time playing video games without leaving your seat? If so, you’re running the risk of acquiring Swamp Ass. Nathan Fillion, AKA “The Captain“, is here to warn you of its effects. Don’t let Swamp Ass happen to you or someone you love. -via reddit
Comments Off AT&T produced this documentary about what happens when overconfident drivers think they can multitask -sending text messages while driving. It’s not worth it. -via Metafilter
Workers from the Thames Water company in east London plead with customers not to pour grease down the drain, because it clogs the sewers. That message is sing the tune of “Good King Wenceslas”. From the YouTube link:
Thames Water will donate 1p to WaterAid for every hit the film gets on YouTube (up to a maximum of 200,000 views, ending on 31 January 2011) to support the charity’s life-saving work to improve access to safe water and sanitation to the world’s poorest people.
A new public service announcement for Amber Watch Alert shows mother-ish types going all John Rambo with automatic weapons -in slow motion, no less.
From the Upcoming 
ueue, submitted by jaimec.
This video is College Humor‘s foray into the realm of anti-smoking public service announcements. It turns out the cost to society for smoking is much, much worse than cancer and smelly carpets.
Via Geekologie
To remind drivers to drive carefully during the rain in Papakura, New Zealand, the local government put out a rather disturbing billboard that bleeds when it rains. The billboard may be terrifying, but apparently it’s effective: there hasn’t been a fatality since.
BuzzFeed has the video clip: Link [embedded YouTube]
YesButNoButYes blog has a post about anti-drug PSAs that look like they were made by people who were under the influence themselves!
The post includes such gems PSAs by Hanna-Barbera, Pee Wee Herman (I half expected him to giggle by the end), and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Link – via Rue The Day!
Here is a really neat PSA from the “International Fund for Animal Welfare” from Germany concerning the trafficking and buying of products made from protected and endangered animals such as the Elephant. Air Dumbo now landing!
We all remember the “This is your brain on drugs” public service announcement with the frying pan and the egg, but that’s pretty mild compared to some of the PSAs compiled by PopCrunch. Click the link and you’ll be warned about everything from eating foie gras to using meth to stopping land mines. Warning – some of the videos are rather graphic.
