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New Zealand Government Is Back With Po*n Stars To Teach Teens About Web Safety
By Izza Sofia, 07 Dec 2020
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Image via The Eggplant
Adult entertainment stars ‘Sue’ and ‘Derek’ from an unusual series of television commercials by the New Zealand government have become quite the sensation as messengers about internet safety.
After a successful run of the Keep It Real Online campaign, creative agency Motion Sickness has now released a six-part mini-series for the Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs to shed more light about online pornography to teenagers.
The first clip, titled The Eggplant, shows the two stars—who are still nude, but take on smaller roles this time. The advertisement focuses on a mysterious giant eggplant that has been left on a high school’s football field. The video involves witty humor and sexual innuendo to help educate young adults about the dangers of the internet.
“Online harms addressed in The Eggplant include bullying, using pornography to learn about sex, grooming by people they don’t know, and sending and receiving nudes,” said Department of Internal Affairs manager design engagement and innovation Trina Lowry.
“The harms our young people face can lead to feelings of vulnerability, isolation, depression and anxiety and, in some cases, can lead to physical harm offline,” she added.
Speaking about the making of the spot, Sam Stutchbury, Motion Sickness director of The Eggplant, said that the team had to create a PSA that wasn’t traditional, or it could likely be ignored by the intended audience.
“To get their attention, the idea had to resonate with them, and let’s face it – they’re not binge-watching ads, are they?” he said. “In this case, we used a comedy web-series to educate teens on some pretty serious issues. It’s a bold approach, but we really needed something unique to cut through with this young audience.”
[via B&T, cover image via The Eggplant]
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