The image above is advertizing for funeral services by the company Bergemann & Sohn located in Berlin Germany. Written on the advertisement says, “Come a little closer”, right where train tracks are placed and where a person could easily be killed by a train. Thinking about a cause and effect scenario, if a person who saw the advertisement actually decided to obey the sign, “come a little closer”, it would mean that they were either unintelligent, or that they knew what they were doing, deciding to end their life in a apparent suicide. I believe this advertisement is controversial and out of place, yes this is a very creative advertisement but it is going too far to say that they would wish a passer-byer would be killed in order for Bergemann & Sohn to benefit from the death of others. They see making money more important than a life.
One of my friends I once knew in high school died at an early age, not by suicide but by health related problems, so whenever I see an issue surrounding suicide or death, it bothers me. My opinion of suicide is automatic, just don’t do it because life is too short to commit suicide. My friend’s life seemed like a waste because he still had a long life ahead of him. So after seeing an advertisement like this, there would be two possibility of people’s reaction. The first is that the advertisement would influence people to check out their company Bergemann & Sohn. I think people would be interested to check-out their company after seeing a creative advertisement like this or be really offended. But more importantly, I think this advertisement would tempt people to commit suicide, possibly people who are depressed in some way. The potential suicide this sign could cause is enough for me to say this advertisement is going too far, so this shouldn’t be allowed to be displayed in public.
The advertisement they created was smart and unique in the fact that I have not seen anything like it before. However, the company Bergemann & Sohn have gone too far in there advertisement. The words on the advertisement might as well read, “Get killed by a train so we can take your money”. They could solve this problem by removing their existing ads from public places, and replace their advertisements which showed the beauty of their cemetery. And the new advisement could have said “Wouldn’t you want to be buried here?” Bergemann & Sohn should do something more construction to reverence human life.
This is an awful advertisement. It is sick. Who on earth thought of it, and when it was pitched to the company who was the person who paid for the ad, lastly why would a metro system allow this to be posted? My godfather (who was my mother's brother and my father figure, my father was absent most of my childhood) commited suicide when I was 16 and my mother attempted suicide when I was 17. Sometimes a little push is all they need. Anyone who has lived with someone battling with depression can tell you that something really trivial can be the extra push they need to do the unthinkable. This is terribly irresposible. And the message I get about the company is "we're insensitive bastards that are happy to see people die".
ReplyDeleteWOW!! This image really shocked me.I can't believe they would really go that far. I don't find this funny at all and I don't know why this would even be allowed. That is just sad, the things some people do for money. What if a child read this and didnt know any better and got hit by a train? this is just sick. But you made some good points.
ReplyDeleteI am totally against this advertisement being at the train tracks, because what you are saying is true, it could cause depressed and mentally unstable people to commit suicide. Who in their right mind would come up with that idea? I've had a couple friends who have attempted, and two that have succeed, in committing suicide. One of them actually stood on the railroad tracks and got hit by a train, so this really hits home base for me. How would this ad get anyone to want to use that company as a funeral home? You also made good points about it as well.
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