Parents in the U.K. are complaining about the new ad (at left) for the morning after pill Levonelle One Step. We find it pretty effective, despite the cartoon sperm that spill on the woman’s head.
It seems no matter how you advertise the morning after pill (or how many times it’s explained that it’s not the abortion pill) conservative groups are going to freak out, at least as evidenced by this Plan B commercial.
The reasons we like the commercial, which AdRants spotted, are probably the same reasons that parents were disturbed. The animated ad shows a woman waking up with a loser musician boy and the words, “the ‘condom split’ one” flash on the screen. While riding the bus with a screaming baby, the woman thinks, “the ‘I’m not ready for that’ one.” Upon arriving at the pharmacy, the woman is greeted by a sassy bespecled woman who gladly sells her, “the ‘only over the counter’ one,” Levonelle One Step.
Brand Republic reports that one mom complained, “This trivialises a very important issue. Something as important as pregnancy should not be devalued for profit.” It’s true that the pink-toned animation makes the situation less horrifying than in some other unplanned-pregnancy related ads, and we’re not sure what’s up with the chirpy song with the lyrics, “no way to explain it, nothing I could say.” But, for a 30 second commercial, the fact that the woman is troubled by the possibility that she’s pregnant and her reasons for not wanting a child are pretty clear: the condom broke, her partner is flakey, and she knows she’s not capable of caring for a fussy baby.
One father said, “Even though it was shown after 9pm my teenage daughters were watching. The worst thing is it makes it seem normal to go and get this pill. We’ve crossed a moral line with this.” Apparently knowing about the existence of this legal form of contraception, and that a pharmacist should sell it to you over the counter with no judgment, is encouraging Britain’s teen girls to have wanton protected sex with grody rockers. If the dad is really that concerned, he could always talk to his girls about his feelings on safe sex and abstinence. But, it’s probably better that they don’t have that talk, thus increasing the chances that his daughter will bring home that sketchy dude and tell dad he’s “the one.”
It’s Not Prince Charming You Need; It’s A Really Good Plan B. [AdRants]
‘Moral Line Crossed’ As Parents Jam Phones With Morning-After Pill Complaints [Brand Republic]
Earlier: Plan B’s Advertising Pleases Us, Pisses Off Conservatives