Analysis Of 'Plastic Bags KILL’ Ad Campaign
Many societies are consumed with material goods and the idea of buying objects as evidence of one's wealth. As these societies keep growing, so do their shopping habits and usage of plastic bags to hold their newly purchased possessions. Plastic bags are mostly seen in the first world societies, so an advertising company, BBDO, launched an ad campaign called 'Plastic Bags KILL' to consumers. This campaign featured plastic bags with animals that appeared to be printed dead on the side with the accompanying phrases 'Plastic Bags KILL', keep our oceans clean.' By featuring the phrases together with the visual of a dead animal, it inferred that the bags used by shoppers end up in the ocean, killing defenseless animals that are inadvertently killed by the carelessness of consumers. “The Plastic Bags KILL” campaign targeted materialistic countries, who depend on plastic bags to carry their possessions. To persuade the public to limit the use of plastic bags, the bag visibly deters users and in turn makes them recycle. The plastic bag makes consumers realize to reduce the use of plastic and save the sea creatures.
The main purpose of this campaign was to demonstrate the harmful effects of plastic which addressed the consumer communities and the shoppers ' needs. Plastic bags are issued in many stores to carry home the newly purchased goods. The campaign purposely uses plastic bags to show consumers that these bags kill animals and that the animals are in the shoppers ' mercy. On the side of the bag, where customers use the handles, the animals are placed in a way that resembles the animal being choked by the user. This emphasizes the fact that it is a shopper’s fault for the death of sea creatures. In bold letters are the phrases “Plastic bags kill” and “keep our oceans clean,” making a direct link between the plastic bag the shopper is holding and the results of using the bag.
By indicating that these animals are being killed by people using plastic bags, it evokes a sense of sentiment. Consumers and viewers of these bags feel pity and guilty when they see the dead creatures printed on the side of the bag because they feel they are the ones who contribute to the sea pollution problem. Consumers as well as viewers will stop using a plastic bag once they see a creature that died from using plastic bags. This campaign of plastic bags focuses on the consumer society and emphasizes the negative effects of plastic bags on wildlife and enforces a means of reducing the pollution of shoppers.
These societies have formed common places about products and the environment in these developed societies where material goods are frequently purchased. The campaign was released in multiple countries around the world, particularly those where consumers tend to buy a lot of items and regularly shopped. In these societies the commonplace of buying bigger and better things is evident, and this ad strengthens this belief. Even as it uses plastic bags to communicate its message, the company depends on customers to continue buying products in order to continue distributing the bags informing consumers about the repercussions of shopping. While condemning the use of plastic products, the advertisement creates a sense of irony by using plastic bags to share their message. The advertisement uses the bags to quickly reach a large number of people and spread the message. Shoppers carry bags everywhere, and hundreds of bystanders see the bags, which quickly spread the advertisements to a lot of people. Strategically, the creators of this ad used bags as a way to create the commonplace that people should buy new things to spread their idea of campaign more effectively.
There is also a common practice in many developed societies that is focused on helping the environment. The main focus of the campaign is the harmful effects that the bags of shoppers have on the sea life. It evokes a sense of duty to protect the environment we live in, but also the wildlife environment and the common purpose of saving animals. The goal to reduce the use of plastic bags is shared through the message to “keep our oceans clean.” The goal of minimizing the use of plastic bags is expressed by the message of 'keep our oceans clean.' Plastic is one form of pollution that does not disintegrate entirely over time, but breaks into smaller pieces. Much of the garbage developed countries use end up in the oceans primarily in three concentrations of waste in different oceans. Many areas of the ocean are called plastic slush where there are so many remnants of plastic that the once clean, life-growing water is now full of plastic fragments and dead animals. The campaign calls for anyone to use or display the bag using to create a sense of solidarity among users and call on the civic duty of keeping the oceans clean.
The ad 'Plastic Bags KILL' focuses on the ideal for preserving rather than spending. In an increasingly materialistic society, when you go shopping, a plastic bag is necessary, but you don't realize the environmental ramifications of each bag. The campaign highlights the detrimental side effects of the use of plastic bags on wildlife and calls on the audience to use less plastic to keep all environments clean.
