wtf?

kutcher is a no-talent, waste-of-space with humongous “mommie issues” (i.e. demi) who doesn’t have the mental capacity to even “act” (like that’s a challenge!) I think the movie raters automatically give, sight unseen, any movie that contains kutcher – in any role – ONE STAR (and, of course, NO movie gets ZERO stars). Besides, I thought kutcher had gotten tired of demi’s plastic-replacement/surgically restored body and had been cavorting with non-mommie types, so it does seem surprising that the “has-been” and the “never-was” are making psa’s together.

These PSA’s just kind of go…*clunk*. The cause is noble though, I bet they’ll switch up their ads to something more effective in the near future. Time to call in McLachlan!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gspElv1yvc

If I’m not mistaken, I believe Ashton and Demi have been somewhat active on the anti-sex trafficking for a couple of years. I’m pretty sure they’ve made a couple of appearances, given a plug or two and have otherwise lent their name. It is a bit offbeat, which is why it’s ringing a bell, but they’ve pretty much had that cause all to themselves.

As for the campaign, it’s obviously effective as a viral because it’s been everywhere for the past couple of days, but most of the posts have been more questioning of the cause and the videos, while no offense to anyone, I suspect the men who actually participate in sex trafficking probably don’t frequent the blogs which have highlighted the videos and they may not consider the examples listed as “real”.

PS) Still though, I’d give them a definite A for effort because as a viral, the ads work and they have us thinking and talking about sex trafficking. It’s just a question or whether they’re reaching or speaking to the target population, where they may fall short.

Magister said:
PS) Still though, I’d give them a definite A for effort because as a viral, the ads work and they have us thinking and talking about sex trafficking. It’s just a question or whether they’re reaching or speaking to the target population, where they may fall short.

Do you have to think about it to know it is wrong?
How many sex traffickers will decide not enslave women becasue of these silly ads?

skoorbekim said:
Do you have to think about it to know it is wrong?
How many sex traffickers will decide not enslave women becasue of these silly ads?

Both Alex (in the OP) and myself have wondered how many sex traffickers might see the virals.

Kutcher told the Huffington Post that between 100k and 300k females are enslaved and sold for sex within the US alone, but he didn’t say whether that was in total or annually. (Personally, I’d lean toward the lower end for total and have done no research)

And, though I can’t say that I’ve ever knowingly met a sex trafficker, I do wonder if there may actually be something of an overlap between aspects and the tech community, not to mention admirers of Justin Timberlake, but I really don’t know.

Though in reality, I assume all the stars donated their services; Demi and Ashton paid for the production with a tax write-off and the videos were produced by the digital unit of Kutcher’s Katalyst Media, which “Fast Company” named as one of the “Most Innovative Advertising & Marketing Companies” of last year.

One more…

I just looked at the “action” page of DemiAndAshton.org. It says that 76% of “child sex slavery” begins on the internet and they suggest flagging questionable ads on Craigslist. If, other than raising general awareness that is their goal, then the ads could do some good.

Magister,
The most effective tool against child-sex slavery is law enforcement…
No pedophile will give a wink what Demi and Ashton say…

I have been researching sex trafficking/ human trafficking for over a year (article here: http://www.onenewsnow.com/features.aspx?id=687534) and believe me, if I have learned anything it is that there are no demographics for men (and women) who partake in the sex trade. Men of all ages, socioeconomic standing, career, race and religion have bought sex, even with girls as young as 6.

I think they are just trying to take what they do (act) and use it to bring awareness to the issue. Whether it works or not, they are at least doing what they can and I applaud them.

I agree 100% with TeaPartyPatriot. Ashton Kutcher is SICK, what kind of a man marries a woman old enough to be his mother? I can understand poor boy toys looking to get rich, but Ashton was already rich and he could have had any woman in the world and he chose Demi. Besides, what the hell does Ashton know about being a man? Ever seen punk’d? He acts like a freaking teenager.

USA Today promotes hate against CEO’s.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/2011/04/usa-today-promotes-hate-against-ceos.html

@Teddy James: Your link is producing a server error for me.

@skoorbekim: Generating a discussion about child sex slavery is something of a victory, while as I pointed out in one of my earlier comments most of the posts that I’ve seen about the virals have been somewhat dismissive of the topic and have focused more on the production angle, which is something of a fail.

Confounding matters, if the goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and to promote “see something, say something” action, then speaking to those involved in the trade wouldn’t actually be the campaign’s goal.

IOW: I’m giving it a mixed review.

@Magister, Go with the higher number, it is closer to the truth. The fact is there are more slaves today than there have ever been in the history of the planet, including the time of colonial slavery. (And try this link: http://www.onenewsnow.com/features.aspx?id=687534

@skoorbekim: No, these ads will most likely not make a trafficker release his girls, but it might make someone think about the act of sex slavery and prostitution. If we can get the buyers to stop buying, the sex trade industry will stop. Lisa Thompson, an expert in sex trafficking said just that.

While these are not hard-hitting pieces, at least they are trying. There are several inherent weaknesses, but they are trying to influence people to change the way they look at prostitution. It is not a harmless, victimless action. It destroys girls and families.

REAL WOMEN DON’T SELL SEX!!

Actually, I recently learned while attending an information session for my local anti-sex-traficking organization that the largest ‘buyers’ of sex are rich, white, middle-class men, fathers, husbands… they could very well be Kutcher fans. At this time of vast denial of American male addictions to sex-trades, most exposure, whether tasteful or slightly less so, is probably good-exposure.

Please use your time to educate yourself on this issue.

Yes, I agree with your point of view. The trade will only end when the buyers stop. It is never the woman’s fault.  

The tern ‘sex-trafficking’ includes both children and adults, both national internal and immigrants.

These adds are not just targeting the sex-traffickers, but the BUYERS, i.e. the men who partake in buying sex.

You’re sounding like a jealous misogynist.

nah, it’s just another attack on masculinity.  the village voice did a study, and came to the conclusion that the number of underage arrests for prostitution was several hundred thousand dollars less than what ashton and demi ignorantly stated.

women are purchased by men in hundreds of ways.  prostitution is a threat to the everyday woman.