Article by Noah Scott
General Motors’ robot commercial which was aired during the Super Bowl has aroused different reactions from the audience and most of them were not quite happy with what they have observed. According to the Mental Wellness and Suicide Prevention Community the commercial encourages suicide.
After General Motors’ controversial ad, the business has been bombarded by complaints. But according to the world’s largest automaker and maker of the well-known GM Nerf Bars, almost everything is under manage and as a matter of reality – they are also planning to air the very same commercial again for the Academy Awards on February 25.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI, the nation’s largest organization that concentrate on critical mental illnesses, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorders has expressed their disappointment with General Motors via their Executive Director Michael Fitzpatrick, who commented, “The GM commercial is recklessly irresponsible. How several national organizations does it take to change their minds?”
It should be noted that it was not only the robot commercial of General Motors’ that was considered offensive throughout the Super Bowl. Even the ad of Mars, Inc. for its Snickers candy bars has also provoked negative reactions from the crowd specifically from the gay community. But as opposed to GM, Mars, Inc. has decided to stop their Super Bowl ad for fear of further offending the public.
Fitzpatrick explained that the traditional marginalization of mental well being concerns is rooted in stigma and discrimination. General Motors’ robot ad that reportedly suggests suicide might encourage some very depressed individuals to commit suicide. “Suicide kills. Depression kills. Obsessive-compulsive disorder can kill. But GM sees those kinds of concerns just as cute, advertising gimmick. What does it say about the company’s concern for public wellness?”
In the ad, the robot that was working for GM drops a bolt on the assembly line and was fired due to the fact the automaker’s obsession for quality. The robot search for other jobs but regrettably got fired once again. Due to extreme depression the robot decides to end his life by jumping off the bridge.
The tragic concept of the ads has alerted NAMI to take the necessary step in informing General Motors of the horrible impact it might have on emotionally disturbed individuals who may possibly see that commercial. NAMI has warned GM that the depictions of suicide in mass media in the past have been proven to improve the risk of suicide contagion, clinical term for “copy cat” suicides.
NAMI also added that the robot ad may enhance suicide cases in the country brought about by the fact that there are a high number of unemployed individuals in the country correct now. And regrettably General Motors with its restructuring program has caused many employees to shed their jobs. The ad will be like adding insult to injury.