Suicide bombing commercial looks more like an action movie

Ok, so I have now seen the No Terror anti suicide bombing commercial shot by Lebanon's EFXFilms and Los Angelese based 900 Frames. See previous post Can advertising end war? We'll see.

It's quite a bit like an action movie, so much so I thought for a moment that I was watching the opening scene of Swordfish - a film so bad the only redeeming qualities were that 360° opening scene and Halle Berry topless. And you know I don't care about Halle Berry's bits.

Those of you who have windows media, download the film here, those who prefer Quicktime, read on.

The advert is also hosted permanently in the commercial archive here -

Noterror - Suicide bomb
.

At the end of the ad Chapter 5 Verse 32 of the Qur'an is quoted: whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. - (see Translations of the Qur'an, Chapter 5).

So do you adgrunts think this will work? Or is this as effective as Nancy Reagan's "just say no" anti-drug rubbish? Does a Hollywood action flick style blow-up really push the right emotional buttons here? Who is the ad talking to - potential suicide bombers or joe everyman in the street? I can't help but feel that the explosion is glamorised with this bullet-time treatment, and the consequences of it aren't painful 'enough'. Does that make sense?
Personally, I'm waiting for someone more skilled than I to wiggle a little nike logo in onto that shoe which drops on the carhood and a "just do it" swoosh at the end...... Oh c'mon - like you weren't thinking it too!

Adland® is supported by your donations alone. You can help us out by buying us a Ko-Fi coffee.
Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
comment_node_story
Files must be less than 1 MB.
Allowed file types: jpg jpeg gif png wav avi mpeg mpg mov rm flv wmv 3gp mp4 m4v.
sakib's picture

Does anyone know who did this ad?

Dabitch's picture

you mean which ad agency? the only info I found are the production companies listed above.

caffeinegoddess's picture

It's possible that the production co. came up with the concept.

tod.brody's picture

I wish I had seen this back in 2006 when you guys were talking about it. Newsweek wrote an article all about the production of this ad.

They should have either used documentary footage (of which there is no shortage), or shot it like the D-Day footage in Saving Private Ryan, right down to the gritty skip bleaching.