Killer ads

I usually try to use non-political issues to demonstrate good communication practices – there’s no point turning off people who disagree politically. They just stop listening.

But the new ads from Save Darfur are too good to not mention.

I was working yesterday with CNN on in the background when I heard what I thought was just another of those “prepare for your retirement” commercials. It was actually an ad about divesting from mutual funds that do business in Darfur…and the “payoff line” is heartbreaking and powerful and undeniable. Almost perfect for an advocacy ad, I think.

Check them out on YouTube here and here.

I’m not asking you to divest from Darfur. (Though, I must admit, I emailed my financial adviser and asked him to review all my funds to make sure they’re “genocide-free” and “terror-free.” He hasn’t called back yet.)

Whether you agree with the issue or not, the ads are great examples of how to fit a message into a package that will strike a chord with people. This group found something that connects Americans to the genocide happening on the other side of the globe -- their money. That’s the kind of clarity and simplicity we should all be shooting for.