Hello again, I have been thinking of writing this blog for several weeks now simply because it irks me to hear it over and over again. The above link (and the name of this blog), with one simple click, will take you to the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) website. This is not a home page but a set of different commercials that they are aiming towards "youth." Please listen (or read) a few of them. My particular favorites (:::Sarcasm:::) are "Cell Phone" and "MP3 Player."
I am going to post "Cell Phone" here because it is simply the best example of what I am about to do a tirade on. Brought to you by the "ONDCP and The Partnership For a Drug Free America"
SFX - CELL PHONE RINGS
Father: Hello.
Son's Cell Phone's Voice: Mr. Johnson, this is Greg's cell phone calling.
Father: My son Greg?
Son's Cell Phone's Voice: Yeah. I'm with him all the time. I know what's up.
Father: Yeah? What's up?
Son's Cell Phone's Voice: The other night Greg was at this cat's crib and he was smoking a blunt.
Father: What?! I'll put the fear into that kid.
Son's Cell Phone's Voice: No, I meant the other dude. Greg passed.
Father: Still, if he was there. Let me talk to Greg.
Son's Cell Phone's Voice: Hold up. G's taking a test right now. I'm turned off.
Father: Then how...
Son's Cell Phone's Voice: Try us back after school... that's prime time.
ANNCR: Talking. The Anti Drug.
Whew... Where to start? Okay, lets all first admit that we all know that some people speak differently than others. Lets further admit that there is a dialect (I'm no linguist) in which black people tend to speak. That does not mean all and it is in no way a judgment, simply a fact. The ONDCP created this advertisement and it is important to point out that this is "The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy..., a component of the Executive Office of the President." That means the Executive branch.
With those important assumptions out of the way, this commercial uses such words and phrases, simply reading them, as "cat's crib, blunt, G's, that's prime time." Furthermore, if you have actually listened to the commercials, the "Son's Cell Phone's Voice" has a clear accent and a few more of the words they use are pulled into that same type of vocal inflection or pronunciation. Again, I have no problem with any of those words, though I will admit that they are different than the ones I would use and I would certainly not speak them, since I do not fit the bill.
My problem with the whole deal is that the government says its targeting youth. With a commercial like this and actually taking the initiative to have the "Son's Cell Phone's Voice" use the same type of dialect, they must not be targeting all youth. So who are they targeting? It would seem to me that they are targeting a single section of society for Anti-Marijuana commercials. And they feel that for some reason, if they use this dialect, then it will help some kid to listen. Could there be another reason? Sure, but probably not.
I contend that the government's targeting of one specific group, based on skin color, is pejorative. They think that targeting the way someone speaks will help them connect? I'm not in advertising but it seems belittling that they feel as if they need to change the way they present their message to fit into how a group in society speaks. Let me explain, because this may be a little murky, and I would hate for someone to take this the wrong way.
Last election, as always we were inundated with campaign commercials. Over and over I would hear commercials in my area that used (awkwardly, I might add) "Missourah, Missouran," and even worse "Missourah - an." They felt that they could win my vote and my trust simply by trying to change the way they spoke to fit my word choice and dialect. All they did was offend me because they thought I was stupid enough to connect with a candidate or cause because they talked the way I was supposed to talk.
Does the government speak in a North Eastern dialect? British? Southern? I don't really see it, unless they are targeting my vote or in the above case, my choices. I would urge them to be themselves and let the message speak for itself. Do not belittle Americans because they speak differently than you and you feel that you can reach them better with a little "accenting," if you will. Certainly do not target a race group with "accenting" and call it a "Youth Campaign." What do you take us for?
I apologize if I have offended anyone with this opinion, it just rubs me the wrong way. That is all.
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