I have problems with this campaign. As defined on their website, the "Unsubscribe" campaign is supposed to "...send out a clear message to the government that we will no longer tolerate the abuse of human rights in the name of 'the war on terror'. Most petitions ask you to sign up, we are asking to take your name off".



This short film is not powerful, it's boring. It feels commercial, artificial and composed. If you're going to show something that really happens in prison, don't say it's a performance, and shoot it to make it look believable, home-made and harsh. "This may offend viewers under 14". Heck - they've all seen James Bond naked on a chair getting his nuts whacked with a rope knot last summer. Next.

Next, I don't see how this effort "sends a clear message to the government". If there's anything, Teh Government is thinking "Oh, it's these people going at it again", with a sneer of discontempt hiding behind the kevlar of their indifference. This campaign is not sending a message to Teh Government, this campaign tries to be a people shocker. Again. I think we're thru with that -- we've seen it all. Unfortunately, we've become insensibilised.

While having little or no effect on Teh Governement, the campaign certainly succeeds in sending a clear message to people, though: spreading information can be a real hassle. I think they took every possibility of sharing things over the web, and made a website out of that. I think this is the first example I've ever seen where too much media came in the way of a good message.

And about the message: "unsubscribe"? Does Amnesty honestly think that the majority of us eats up the drivel that Teh Government feeds us with? Does Amnesty honestly think we're not informed and aware about what goes on? I know I wasn't "subscribed", for starters. And I truly don't see how "unsubscribing" or sharing my miscontentment with others will concretely help a political prisoner in the ultra-secret Alpha BaseX99 somewhere in the desert.

What I don't know is how Amnesty works. I see petitions, I see emails, I see photos of political prisoners and people suffering, I see a lot of turmoil and anger. But what mechanisms are behind the work that Amnesty is doing? How do they save people? Who's been saved? Is Amnesty something that actually works? Now *that* would be something I'd want to hear, and to share. Tell me how far can my actions go, tell me there is real potential in my participating. Tell me that my donations don't fall in the Black Hole of Funding, with extra No Reported Return On Investment on top. Because I don't know.

When does a Non-For-Profit Organization set simple, attainable goals for the public? Everything always seems *huge*, and there is always *so much to do*. Scary. The brilliant Kiva.org is the only organization I heard of that sets concrete, attainable goals and shows results. When does a Non-For-Profit Organization take the time to congratulate its supporters? I have yet to see the results of my giving or supporting. It's always "give-give-give, more-more-more".

Have they created Compulsive Humanitarian Capitalism?

When does a Non-For-Profit organization advertise the progress that has been done?Advertising is always about people-shocking strategies or kids with flies on their cheeks.

What Amnesty International needs to do is start a real conversation with us. About them. About their mechanics. And about the results that our supporting generate. Don't unsubscribe me, subscribe me.



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Guinness - Tipping Point (2)

Thursday, November 08, 2007 by , under , , ,

I don't know what to say. Volvo's greatest idea with Heinz's best signature ever. Come on guys, what's the point on this one? A little originality wouln't hurt when shelling out the big bucks on mega productions. Reported costs on the entire "Good Things Come To Those Who Wait" campaign: £10 million pounds (19 million canadian). And this doesn't even feel like Guinness at all.

Plus, for some unexplainable reason, watching this makes me thirsty for Coke.

Well. If there's anything to say, TheMill really did a great job on the CGI.



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