UNICEF Bombs Smurfs to Highlight Plight

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Smurfette is left for dead. Baby Smurf is left crying and orphaned as the Smurf's village is carpet bombed by warplanes — a horrific scene and imagery not normally associated with the lovable blue-skinned cartoon characters.

"It's working. We are getting a lot of reactions and people are logging on to our Web site," UNICEF Belgium spokesman Philippe Henon said Tuesday.

The Belgian office of the U.N. children's fund said it has decided to use the creations of late Belgian artist Peyo to shock a complacent public into backing its fund-raising efforts for ex-child soldiers in Africa.

The 20-second video commercial clip now being shown on Belgian TV aims to show that war can happen in the most innocent of places, Henon said.

"We get reactions from all over the place," said Henon. "People are shocked and want to know the reasons behind this cartoon image."

The appeal is meant to raise money for UNICEF projects in Burundi, Congo and Sudan, Henon said. However, due to its graphic and disturbing scenes, this cartoon is not for everyone. The advertisement is aimed at an adult audience and is only shown after 9 p.m. to avoid upsetting young Smurfs fans.

The video is peacefully introduced by birds, butterflies and happy Smurfs playing and singing their theme song when suddenly out of the sky, bombs rain down onto their forest village, scattering Papa Smurf and the rest as their houses are set ablaze.

The bombs kill Smurfette leaving Baby Smurf orphaned and crying at the edge of a crater in the last scene of the video and finishing of with the text "don't let war destroy the children's world."

Source:
Yahoo! News - from Associated Press

Using Dead Smurfs to promote UNICEF?

Well, it works - I guess that makes it right, even if the Smurfette is Dead.

What do You think?

Poor smurfette... she was such a hottie... and the only straight one in the bunch .

I read this on another site, and at first was outraged... how could they kill Smurfette? papa smurf was old and had lived a full life, but the rest were looking forward to a full life of gaiety... poor little blue fellas...

Souljah.. I think if it works to accomplish a dramatic change (reforming the child soldiers of some poor country) then lets blow up the thundercats, pickachoo, and the whole frikin cast of dragonballZ...

exchanging cartoon lives for real ones... no question.

I do however think they need to take positive steps to insure that no children see the commerical, since it isn't for kids...

Well, I must say that when I first read about this, I was a little ticked. I thought that bombing the smurfs and showing baby smurf left orphaned and crying over the corps was a bit much. However, it does pretty much smacks you in the face with the reality of war. Mainly for those in and around my age group. The smurf were the best. Everyone I knew watched the smurfs. It was either that or fragle rock. I do not think it is going to get the reaction they "say" they are hoping for. I think it will make people more submissive. It might make people more likely to go along with ANYTHING to keep war from happening. Sure there will be people who will give money to that fund. I just think it sounds more like antimidation than a fund raiser.

I wonder where can I DL this commerical...

Anyway, we as humans always want to look at things, the postive light. Its time that we brave ourselves and face the reality of the modern world.

This commerical, hopefully can bring us out from the comfort zone, and make us think.

Originally posted by Humster
I wonder where can I DL this commerical...

There's a poor quality clip on this site:
www.crooksandliars.com...

Ok That is dump UNICEF. they're also netriuos for being a front for Forein spies belive me i now UNICEF isnt a great as we think they are. Just google it you'll find out.

[edit on 13-10-2005 by geekboy]

S&F!

Unicef - The Smurfs



I am just embedding the vid and giving this ancient thread a bump!