Don't Even Think About It

I recently came across a Brazilian anti-drug campaign called, "Crack: Nem Pensar" [Crack: Don't even think about it]. Now, I'll preface this, by stating that I haven't read too much of the content on the site and that of course I agree that crack is a bad thing that destroys people's lives. I've simply been a visual peruser. This is what I saw when I logged onto their homepage:

And it was that model in the right side of the page that got to me. I mean, really? She looks a bit too much like a heroin chic model in a fashion magazine.

Kinda similar to the woman below, who really is a model in a fashion magazine and is not trying to spread an anti-drug message. And yes, the merits whether any of us would actually want to go out dressed like we've just been crying and rubbing our make up all over our eyes are another topic...It's just that this is what's presented as a glamorous look.

Then I realized, gratefully and luckily, that the photo of the Crack: Nem Pensar model actually wasn't the original. In the original, she indeed looks a bit more strung out, a little bit more like she hasn't showered in several weeks and certainly less glamorous.

Some of their other campaign pictures try to be more intense. Especially if you click on them and see them full-size. They do start to get the point across that crack will mess a person up. But, I'm not totally convinced. This girl looks like she rubbed a lot of kohl below her eyes. She's still got a bit of a wholesome glow underneath the initial layer of unwashed hair and sores...but that's probably because she's a model.

What's closer to terrifying are the Before Meth & After Meth photographs that have been circulating for some time now (not part of the Crack: Nem Pensar campaign). Though of course these are real people strung out on meth and not models, which certainly packs a stronger and more depressing punch.

 

But, I have to take back some of my initial surprise (and yes a little of the righteous indignation too) that this image was being used as an anti-drug photograph.

 

And I can understand that they'd want to mute the photograph a little to blend it into the background of their homepage so the text stands out. But still, that's the first page people see.  And frankly, she looks just a tad too glamorous and cool for someone who's supposed to demonstrate the horrors of crack.