The Corruption Eradication Commission has replied to Jakarta Post Reader Nyoman Suwela’s letter criticizing its commercial (see earlier posting Why some campaigns have no brains)
In a letter to the editor in the Post, the Commission issued the standard pabalum (thank you for your feedback…thus we thank you for your input and support) and said that their campaign had to be “different, bold and shocking as we need to send a hard message to the public about the need to eradicate corruption in Indonesia.”
Shock and awe is fine, but Nyoman’s point is that the television commercial had twisted logic, not that it was shocking or awe-ing anyone. Couch potatoes may recall the ad where the son goes shirtless to school as a protest against his father’s corruption. His act of defiance causes his father to suffer from a heart attack . The ad closes with the son smiling, even smirking, as he walks out the door of the house.
What was the message? That you can enjoy watching the death throes of your father if he is corrupt? Shades of Mao and the Cultural Revolution.
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