Passages is some drug rehab facility, and their ad has some guy talking to the camera about how it cured him of his addictions. But if he’s talking to inanimate objects like cameras, can we really be sure he’s not still high? I’m just saying. And then he says: “It’s not a twelve-step program: this works!” So he’s basically saying 12-step programs don’t work (!). They don’t? I thought they worked for some people; are they all liars? So everyone who is in one right now and is tricked into thinking it’s working will see this ad, drop out of their program, start doing drugs again, and die of an overdose! And all because of Passages, Malibu! How irresponsible!
Plus, they show some beautiful blonde woman in the ad doing exercises, and I was like: “Hmm, she doesn’t seem like a drug addict to me!” But I guess obviously she is one, or else they wouldn’t be showing her in their ad! So they’re basically telling everyone in the whole world: “Hey! See this lady? She may look pretty and together, but she’s a drug addict!” And then she’ll lose her job, get dumped by her husband and kids, and end up on the street, all because they outed her to the world as an addict! That’s so mean and hurtful! But that’s maybe how they browbeat people into staying clean: they tell everyone you’re a druggie, and so if anyone sees you, they’ll be checking up on you to make sure you’re not getting high again; and when drug dealers see that ad, they’ll refuse to sell to you, because they’re basically kind-hearted people who care about your well-being after all. Right? No?
This ad really makes Passages seem kinda dishonest and greedy to me; I’m sorry. Here’s why: 12-step programs are free, right? So you don’t need to have a hundred-thousand dollars lying around to pay for it like you would for Passages Malibu. And what kind of self-respecting drug-addict would have $100,000 left that they haven’t spent on drugs already? If they did, then they wouldn’t be drug addicts! So this ad makes it seem like they’re trying to tell you 12-step programs are not even worth a try, so you’d better be rich, or you’re going to die of a drug overdose.
But they could easily have avoided looking like they’re saying that, by having him say the following: “Are you addicted to drugs or alcohol, and it’s ruining your life? Have you tried 12-step programs before and failed time and time again? Then perhaps we can help you. We’ve got a very good track record of helping people suffering from addiction, and to prove it, you have me: I was an addict myself, and this program worked for me after everything else failed. So if you’re serious about getting your life back, call us at Passages, Malibu.” Then, they wouldn’t be seeming to send any coded messages bashing other systems that work for other people, and they wouldn’t seem motivated by money.
But maybe they really know what they’re doing after all. I’m not a drug counselor, so I don’t know how it all works. So don’t listen to me! (Nobody else ever does…)
(This ad isn’t on YouTube, so you’re just going to have to take my word for it. And I wouldn’t do that if I were you!)
