A common trend for organizations looking to impact college students’ opinions on serious political and social issues has been to use forms of shock advertising and campaigning.
Organizations and clubs promoting everything from abortion awareness and religion to gay rights and bringing home the troops have been all over the concourse and the campus in general, spreading their word through what is often considered “in your face” type campaigns.
The question is, are Auburn students’ political or social views impacted in a positive or negative way by this type of shock advertising?
For Josh Coombs, a junior in building science, the answer to the aforementioned question is a mixed one.
“Yes, I do feel like they influence my views on their cause,” Coombs said. “But the impact isn’t necessarily a positive thing.”
Coombs said he feels like the shock campaigning definitely has a negative impact on his point of view concerning whatever the activist group is presenting.
“I think it’s harmful to their cause,” Coombs said. “They tend to make me care less about the topic or at least their views on the topic.”
David Walker, a freshman in liberal arts, said he feels like some of the organizations take their campaigning a little too far.
“Some of (shock advertising) is not so bad,” Walker said. “But when they pass out the abortion brochures with all of the graphic photos, it just makes me sick, instead of caring more about their cause.”
Though shock value ads may be here to stay, Coombs said he thinks organizations who use shock tactics should take a different approach.
“If someone is handing out positive literature about their cause that educates me on their topic, it is more likely to influence me in a positive way,” Coombs said.
Auburn student Casey Bradford, a senior in public relations, said she thinks groups using shock advertising have the right idea, but need to go in a different direction.
“I think the best shock value campaigns I have seen are the ‘Truth’ commercials about smoking,” Bradford said. “They go to crazy lengths to promote their cause, but they still remain tasteful with the way they go about everything.”
Bradford said the important thing is respecting free speech on Auburn’s campus.
“I think it’s good to have these organizations promoting their causes on campus because it shows how diverse Auburn is and how we respect freedom of speech,” Bradford said.
