Audrey Hepburn Would Not Approve

This is whacked, people.

OK, so let me try to follow this. The plan is to blow up children's cartoon characters to get adults to donate money on behalf of "ex-child soldiers in Africa."

Many of whom, presumably, are going to go out and do exactly what is depicted in the ad.

If adults outside of the U.S. want to watch war on T.V., all they have to do is hear the sounds and view the pictures coming out of Iraq (see, they can do this and we can't because they're censored by The High Exalted Leader, President 37 Percent Mandate). They don't have to watch cartoon character violence.

Besides, if you're going to blow up some cartoon characters, try some out of Anime. The Smurfs are sooo 80s (I didn't like them either, but this is still extreme).

And I'm also sure that UNICEF is getting a lot of response to the ad. However, if it's more shock along the lines of "what the hell are you people smoking?" than donations, then I would say that the ad failed.

Or, of course, UNICEF could talk to its viewing audience like adults and treat them with a bare minimum of courtesy and respect for their intelligence, and make their case in that manner.

(or am I asking WAY too much again...)

(also, here is more on the great lady herself...)