HONG KONG, June 29 — It was aimed at warning young people about the dangers of drugs. In fact, many viewers joked that it served as an advertisement for themselves.
Hong Kong’s Department of Corrections has withdrawn an AI-generated anti-drug campaign after social media users mocked the city’s virtual pop star for making illegal drugs look glamorous rather than frightening. hong kong free press.
The video titled Obsession: Sugar-Coated Trapfeatures four animated band members named Weedy, Icy, Coke, and Little E. These are references to cannabis, crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and the narcotic drug etomidate, which has become known on the streets of Hong Kong as “space oil.”
Each character introduced himself with a catchy slogan intended to explain the deceptive appeal of drugs.
Weedy described itself as a “romantic smoke” that helps people forget their worries, while Coke claimed to be able to keep users’ minds sharp. Little E touted fruity flavors that transported users to “outer space,” while Icy promised an “out-of-body experience.”
Only at the end of the video do the four young performers transform into old men, in keeping with the message that drugs can destroy lives.
For many online viewers, the warning message came too late.
On a backup copy of the video circulating on YouTube, one of the most popular comments read, “Hong Kong’s most successful drug ad ever.” Another user joked that he wanted to “eat a few bites of each” after watching.
Backlash spread quickly, and the Department of Corrections removed the video on Saturday.
In a statement quoted by hong kong free pressThe ministry said future campaigns could better balance “creativity and public acceptance” while ensuring anti-drug messages are presented clearly and accurately.
The episode became the latest example of the difficulties governments face in communicating with young audiences online. If you try to speak the language of internet culture, you can easily become a target for parody.
This is not the first time Hong Kong’s anti-drug message has been met with ridicule.
In 2021, the Hong Kong Police Force adopted the slogan “You Only Live Once” (better known by the acronym YOLO) in its anti-drug campaign. Critics were quick to point out that the phrase is often associated with embracing dangerous or impulsive experiences rather than avoiding them.
Earlier this year, the Bureau of Security apologized after an anti-drug advertisement posted at Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station created an optical illusion that appeared to read “Take drugs” when viewed from certain angles.
Hong Kong maintains some of the strictest drug laws in the region. Trafficking or manufacturing illegal drugs is punishable by up to life imprisonment and a fine of HK$5 million (RM2.6 million), while possession or consumption is punishable by up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of HK$1 million.
