INTERACTIVE ADS TAKE ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America in New York has introduced its
first entirely interactive ad campaign to help teenagers learn about
the physiological effects of drugs like cocaine and heroin. The banner
ads, created by i-traffic in New York, the interactive marketing
division of Agency.com, make use of vivid images to convey the
unpleasant consequences of drug use. "The shock value is critical to
break through the clutter that's out there," said Bea Bartolotta,
deputy director for creative development at the antidrug group. "This
is a really skeptical audience." A goal of the banner ads, she added,
is to encourage viewers to use the option to forward them to friends
and to click on links to the group's Web site for more detailed
information about drugs. The ads were initially placed on Web sites
like StudentAdvantage.com and CollegeClub.com.