Lack of Gun Control is Bananas Oxfam Campaign

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Lack of Gun Control is Bananas Oxfam Campaign

Background Information
This ad was the outer shell of the Metro Express on June 27, 2012. It was created by OXFAM and is meant to inform the public about the Arms Trade Treaty.
Technique Used
Simplify Ideas
This is propaganda because
This ad simplifies complex ideas & plays off viewer's emotions. The idea that bananas are regulated more than deadly weapons is frightening & meant to motivate the public to ask the US govt to support the Arms Trade Treaty. Dangerous? Not sure.

Comments

  1. user-avatar
    jayjaygier
    Sat, 02/09/2013 - 00:30
    jayjaygier
    it is very bad that we dont have big laws against ak-47 trade this world would be much better without that kind of heavy artiller this is definetly dangerous
  1. user-avatar
    Mon, 02/11/2013 - 22:57
    I agree with the interpretation above. It plays on your emotions to make the point that a fruit is more dangerous than a gun. I was shocked to see that about 1/5 of the people who voted said it was dangerous because I dont think it was. I agree with the majority of the people that this example of propaganda is not dangerous.
  1. user-avatar
    Hunter Smith
    Mon, 02/11/2013 - 23:04
    Hunter Smith
    I think this is incredibly harmful. Stating this gets people thinking about how bad it is to own/use firearms, however, the issue is not the guns, it is the people. If we restict guns any further, unlawful people will still find a way to obtain them and this will leave our citizens defenceless. Firearms do not kill, people do.
  1. user-avatar
    Rosie L.
    Mon, 02/11/2013 - 23:04
    Rosie L.
    The first image (with the black background) does make consumers think-- is this reasonable, or right? The idea that bananas have more international trade laws than guns- which are far more dangerous- struck me as odd, but was not enough to sway my view entirely.
    However, the second (with the green background) it not effective at all. It does not clearly convey the message-- originally I assumed that it was calling for less gun-control policies.
  1. user-avatar
    Mon, 02/11/2013 - 23:13
    This piece is intended to raise awareness for the Arms Trade Treaty and get the attention of the public. It is effective because it is meant to play with your emotions, but it isn't very dangerous.
  1. user-avatar
    Mon, 02/11/2013 - 23:13
    I would disagree and say that this piece of propaganda is dangerous because it makes you think. If something as simple, non-dangerous, and reclaceble as bananas have more protecting than guns, objects that have the power to aid in killing people, shouldn't there be moere gun control.
  1. user-avatar
    Emily S.
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 00:57
    Emily S.
    I agree that this is a dangerous form of propaganda because it compares something so small as the trade of bananas to something much larger, which is the trade of violent guns. I believe that this is used because they want the viewer to think about the kinds of rules the United States has in place in the field of gun control, and compare it to that of smaller things. This may prompt the viewer to want to support the cause because, according to the ad, the government isn't doing enough about it.
  1. user-avatar
    Anna M.
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 00:58
    Anna M.
    The advertisment is not dangerous, but some people may mistake it for being dangerous because the CONCEPT of the poster seems very dangerous, that concept being that fruits are more highly regulated than weapons. This piece of propoganda is effective, not dangerous, because it makes people feel like their should be more strict regulations on guns, and makes them support the idea of heavily regulated guns.
  1. user-avatar
    Chris P
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 01:06
    Chris P
    This advertisement is very effective, and there for dangerous. It states simple but astounding facts to bring attention to thre topic. It is dangerous, but in a non-harmful way.
  1. user-avatar
    GG
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 01:10
    GG
    This is definitely dangerous propaganda. The idea is simple, but the message is not. The propaganda basically wants to streamline that one idea into your head without explaining thoroughly what the issue is. The ad wants to scare you into thinking something that you may not have thought had you not seen the advertisement. It's easy to go along with the propaganda because the color schemes look professional and the idea seems well-reasoned. You might not be making your own decisions when reading this propaganda; that is why it is dangerous.
  1. user-avatar
    Emma D.
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 01:15
    Emma D.
    This poster is very dangerous becuase it plays on the viewers emotions by comparing a very dangerous weapon to something as simple as a banana. The idea that a banana has more restricted trade laws than a gun definetly plays with the viewers emotions.
  1. user-avatar
    AEW
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 01:17
    AEW
    This piece of propaganda is not dangerous. It makes people think twice about international security, and some people may want to make it better. It is not dangerous because in the end our security will be stonger. This is posittive propaganda.
  1. user-avatar
    Peter G.
    Tue, 02/12/2013 - 01:18
    Peter G.
    From recent tragic events this really plays on the readers mind and emotions. They say that bananas are more regulated by the government than AK-47's but is that because the normal household doesn't have a bunch of seven or eight assult rifles sitting on the kitchen counter? Limiting the right of protection of hundreds becuase of the actions of a handful is unfair
  1. user-avatar
    Mike
    Fri, 04/24/2015 - 06:51
    Mike
    This Image is harmful. It plays with people emotion by comparing Bananas to Aks. One id harmless and the other is the most produced weapon in the world. People are being told that bananas have a hard laws compared to AK's its completely to get emotionally involved then using facts.
  1. user-avatar
    Marlette Torras
    Sun, 04/26/2015 - 12:37
    Marlette Torras
    The first thing I thought when reading this was primarily colored by the image, I agree that it simplifies a trade issue. Having viewed a documentary about how those who used to grow bananas and other produce in Jamaica now being forced to purchase food from the U.S., that's all I could think about. It seems they would mention this if truly portraying the whole picture.
  1. user-avatar
    gbreeden
    Mon, 04/27/2015 - 01:09
    gbreeden
    I think it's great that they're simplifying a complex issue into something easy many people can understand. I would say people are more comfortable talking about agriculture trade laws than gun trade laws, so equating it to that likely makes it more relatable for more people.
  1. user-avatar
    EH
    Thu, 07/30/2015 - 02:23
    EH
    This doesn't give much information. Bananas are a food; they should be regulated more heavily than guns which are illegal in many places to begin with.
  1. user-avatar
    Allison Carpenter
    Sat, 10/17/2015 - 22:09
    Allison Carpenter
    This ad does simplify a complex and dangerous issue, but it is beneficial because it makes an unusual comparison that draws the reader into a larger discussion.
  1. user-avatar
    Rjgreer1
    Sat, 11/21/2015 - 06:47
    Rjgreer1
    Understanding the biology of bananas, helps me understand why bananas are highly regulated. Poor regulation completely destroyed the main species of bananas a while back, so to prevent this from happening again the transportation of bananas became highly regulated. I find this harmful, because bananas are extremely regulated for a reason, so gun control should also be regulated, but being less regulated actually does make some sense if you know the history.
  1. user-avatar
    Nicholas Richie
    Sat, 11/21/2015 - 11:01
    Nicholas Richie
    I was in the middle on this one, mostly because I did not see the harm in this one. I thought that it was a somewhat harmless ad, but it did show guns. Otherwise it was only comparing bananas sales to gun ownership
  1. user-avatar
    Jiosa
    Fri, 12/11/2015 - 20:06
    Jiosa
    i think that this could be beneficial. It's informing people about things in a funny manner
  1. user-avatar
    James Morris
    Wed, 04/20/2016 - 08:24
    James Morris
    With all of the gun related deaths and incidents that occurs not just in the US, but the world. This staggering fact paints a great picture. Depending on which side of the argument you are on, you may agree or disagree.
  1. user-avatar
    Hope
    Sat, 10/15/2016 - 05:47
    Hope
    The images don't come together very well, but putting two unrelated things into contrast by focussing on a single aspect or fact, effectively highlights the absurdity of the situation and makes it relatable or sensible.
  1. user-avatar
    Kate
    Fri, 02/03/2017 - 23:16
    Kate
    I think this is beneficial because it's telling us that they're regulating bananas more than guns which is super crazy and it's helpful information to know
  1. user-avatar
    tliddle
    Wed, 11/08/2017 - 02:35
    tliddle
    I think that this is a form of beneficial propaganda. This is an alarming fact presented in an interesting and eye catching manner. It activates emotion in anyone who sees it and thinks of the growing number of mass shootings in the US and makes them wonder why bananas are better regulated than the global arms trade.

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