Agency | Saatchi & Saatchi |
---|---|
Client | New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet |
Language | English |
Media | Television |
Release date(s) | 2015 |
Country | Australia |
Budget | $500,000 |
"Stoner Sloth" was an anti- cannabis public service announcement series of three videos, created by Australia's New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet in 2015. [1] [2]
Each ad begins with a scenario involving people in public places. As everyone is acting "normal", it is all disrupted by Stoner Sloth, a sloth who reacts slowly while moaning. Stoner Sloth is meant to represent the behavior of a stereotypical stoner and its actions are accompanied by a musical cue of a guitar being weakly strummed. The human characters around Stoner Sloth usually react with disgust or disappointment.
The creative firm Saatchi & Saatchi created the ads which "backfired miserably" and were an "instant and classic fail", [1] according to trade publication Adweek. [3] The agency defended its ads, which cost $500,000. [4] The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre distanced itself from the campaign. [5]