Laugh Or Cry?

Snickers have unveiled a new ad campaign in their Mr T series. And the messages are undoubtedly a joy. The general thrust being ... this.


However, as the yank referring site alludes to, the boomed voice of Mr T pointing out UK fuckwittery and bad manners tends to further highlight the surveillance nation we have become.

Also, interesting creative choice by Snickers and their agency ABV BBDO, considering the invasiveness of the UK’s actual surveillance network.

Which links to ...

In a shockingly egregious use of surveillance, even for nostril-inspecting authorities in England, the government plans on expanding a social experiment that places families with behavioral problems under 24-hour watch—in their own homes! Referred to as “sin bins,” the households are monitored with CCTV cameras to “ensure that children attend school, go to bed on time and eat proper meals.” About 2,000 families have been subjected to the program so far, but there’s plans to enroll 10x that amount in the next two years. Of course the U.S. has a similar concept whereby dysfunctional families are given the chance to share their indignity with strangers, they’re called “reality shows.”

The ads are an extension of that idea, with Mr T (or most probably a soundalike) using technology to berate wrong-doers, much as has already begun to be used against us.

Big Brother is not only watching you - now he's barking orders too. Britain's first 'talking' CCTV cameras have arrived, publicly berating bad behaviour and shaming offenders into acting more responsibly.

The system allows control room operators who spot any anti-social acts - from dropping litter to late-night brawls - to send out a verbal warning: 'We are watching you'.

So how are we supposed to take this ad campaign? The targets most definitely deserve the comedic nudge, but while feeling triumphal in viewing them, it's hard not to experience a sharp embarrassment that the yanks are laughing their tits off at our governors' willingness, both local and national, to allow our country to degrade so far.

Judge for yourself. I laughed ... while at the same time feeling a nagging sense of humiliation and anger.