KEY POINTS:
Air New Zealand in Samoa has pulled two of three TV adverts after a local counselling agency said they could encourage suicide.
Faataua le Ola (FLO), a lifeline agency in Samoa, raised the issue after it received reports from some viewers who dubbed the commercials as "suicide ads".
This forum debate has now closed. Here is a selection of your views on the topic.
Matt
I believe cutting the ads will have no impact on contributing to youth suicides. It all starts within the home. Without stability, youth learn nothing - without respect they feel nothing. I could go on forever but this is not the answer - the commercial had a positive reaction. How this can be construed as away of ending your life is beyond me. I think this Samoan agency needs to look for more resources and focus on the real story not the commercial.
NeillR
This latest series of ads are so bad that I am sure they've driven people to contemplate ending it all.
Mark
I am sad they pulled the ad, as I really was becoming convinced I can fly to Dunedin just by running off the side of a building. Thank heavens TVNZ still has that ad that shows me that we can see something in space if we all get together and shine our torches on it.
Dan
Just watched the ad. And I am totally feeling like ending it all right now. But I am emo, so I think that a lot.
PD
This ad encourages suicide?? Tell however laid the complaint to get a grip and get a life!
Merlin
Hey yeah, what a good idea. Lets re-shoot this ad. This time lets show him waitng for a lift that doesn't arrived because it's broken, then after walking down all those stairs he gets into his car and joins a traffic jam, sucking in all those fumes. Then lets see him filling up with ever so expensive fuel. Eventually he'll get out of the city and we'll see him stuck behind a truck for kilometre after kilometre, unable to pass and no even noticed by the truck driver half asleep at the wheel after his illegal 14 hour day. Then the ad can finish u when the man can't find a parking space, or if he does then he doesn't have enough coins for the metre so he can't even see his mum.
Get real. It's an ad. It doesn't make me want to commit suicide! People who bang on about these ads do!
Jonno
The ads may be so dire and boring that they make me want to kill myself, but as a direct incitement to suicide I vote no. Having said that, it would have been nice if one of the ads was for someone going for a surprise celebration - they did seem to be of people seeking or giving comfort.
Jo
Call me thick (which I am not!) but I never made the connection between the guy jumping off the building, flying over NZ and coming to rest in front of an elderly woman as suicide! My conclusion was that because it was an Air NZ add he was daydreaming about where he would like to fly to - to see his dear old mum perhaps? I guess it depends on your mind set.
Andrew Wharton
That's ridiculous. Seeing that ad, the concept of suicide never even entered my head. He's travelling to visit his elderly mum, and using Air NZ to get there. Surely that's what most people would see?
Top Cat
I like these ads. As I'm from the UK, they show the ease and speed in which, when necessary, we can fly back to the people we love in times of difficulty. I don't know the Samoan culture at all, so can't comment on the effect of these ads there, but to me they create a positive feeling, and not the negative 'suicide' feelings that are being interpreted in Samoa.
Samoan Kiwi
Are we watching the same advert? Is this guy for real? Im a New Zealand born Samoan and I just laughed at the negative reaction these adverts are receiving. Come on, get over yourself. These ads are great and are designed to pull at our heart strings, to motivate us to visit our loved ones when times get tough. There are plenty of other adverts which promote the consumption of alcohol, fatty foods and violent video games. The young people of Samoa are intelligent enough to make up their own minds, so give them more credit. Good on you Air New Zealand, keep it up.
Tahlia
Thinking that ad is going to prompt suicide is stupid> Its not going to encourage it, If someones already that suicidal to look at that ad and go oh hey I am going to jump off a building ah dah their gonna do it anyways! Adults should stop thinking they know what goes through youths minds and stop thinking they know exactly how we'll act coz they dont know jack and seem to always make things worse with their stupid solutions.
Jody Becerra
I completely agree with this article. When I first saw the advertisements, it was left with the impression that the only way to solve your problems is to run away from it...and somehow in the ads, it looks like the people are choosing to jump, they die and their spirits fly to their loved ones. The eerie sad music doesn't help either! I am not surprised that many find it resembles suicide.
S Olsen
Enough of the cultural sensitivity already. Why do we have to constantly listen to the wimpering of the bleating few? Get over yourselves and take it for what any sensible human being would take it for; an ad.
Amanda
That is absolutely ludicrous that people have formed the opinion that he is trying to kill himself. The guy that jumps / fly's over the water jumps from a wharf that is not high, he would not die if he landed in the water, so where are people getting that idea from?! I think AirNZ had a very good group of creative advertising executives making this advert, they have made a great heartfelt ad with great photography. Adverts have absolutely nothing to do with people that want to kill themselves, that is the people themselves in there mind, not the medias problem. Should we ban Superman and Batman too?
Caroline
I really enjoy these particular adverts, and I think they're some of the better ones on TV at the moment. I have to say I'm confused at how anyone thinks they could encourage suicide. The people in the ads are certainly not killing themselves, they're making journeys to visit loved ones, and having them flying is just a fanciful way of showing us that. They're not exactly difficult to understand.
Kath
I have to admit the first time I saw the ad (I think it was the one with someone leaping into a lake) I thought it might have been depicting death. But by watching the rest of the ad, it became pretty clear what it was about. Could something as innocuous as this tv advert drive somebody to suicide? If somebody was so delicate as to be affected by the ad, then I would imagine that they'd already reached a point of no return. If anything I think the ad would be worse for those left behind after losing a loved one to suicide. Just as an aside, I think the ads are naff and for that reason it'd be great to see them canned anyway.
Jacob M
This ad is amazing! Instead of worrying about banning adverts like this from our television how about having a second look at some of the music videos we let our children watch with guns, drug taking, half naked woman.
Logan
You would have to be an world class idiot to misconstrue the ad as promoting suicide.
Ronny
It took several viewings of the Air NZ ad with the young girl "flying" to her kaumatua (grandfather?)before both myself and my kids ( 9 and 12) finally realised she was not killing herself and releasing her spirit home!! So I can see that the man leaping out of the window could be even more of a mixed message especially for depressed teens. I think Air NZ should make the ads meaning clearer; possibly by reshooting the initial scenes.
John Robb
This agency needs to get its own feet on the ground. You couldn't make this stuff up.
Emma
Personally, I love these ads, they are whimsical, speak of the nostalgia of home and our desire to connect with our loved ones far from us. But this is a cultural issue, and what works in the context of our community is obviously not working in the context of another. We cannot assume our culture is the rule. Clearly Air NZ never intended them to be viewed in such a way but it has come to pass that they are.
Pauline Blithe
Very irresponsible of Air NZ - I am really surprised because I thought they would have had professional advisers.
Jo Rose-Duval
Apparently Air NZ has received "rave" reviews for this series of ads. If I wanted to see people crying uncontrollably for no reason (as is shown at the beginning of at least one of the ads) there are other places I could go. As far as I am concerned these ads are a huge waste of money.
DJ Cole
I love the ads.It does not show the person actually jumping. Just that it feels like he does. I suppose you could say it is as a spiritual connection to his love ones aye. Anyway, love the ads. It pulls heartstrings. Big upz to the creatives.
Alistair Stewart
What a shame! These are lovely ads. The only ads on TV that aren't stupid or irritating.
Margot
I just don't get it? What is wrong with Samoans?? Adverts for McCains veges make me want to top myself but I don't. Get over it!
Ray Eyre
Adds do not cause suicide. If a person is so weak that he or she wants to top themselves, showing an advert on TV wont make any difference. My God I am getting so tired of the idiots that fear everything in life. Wake up and get real. We each have a brain, we are taught right from wrong and we do have a choice of direction that we chose to travel. The problem is that some people just don't have it in them to follow the right path in life. The commies in control are still trying to make us out to be so weak that they need to control us all. Stand up and control yourself.
Adrian
You must be kidding! Surely this is a piss-take? Perhaps they should just turn their TV's off and go to KFC.
Richard
Personally I love these adverts. I would think to watch it and come to the conclusion that it supporting or even trying to put suicide into the message is just insane. Anyone with half a brain can see what the advert is about, and enjoy the entertainment and beauty in the advert. God I am getting sick of people like this, why can't you just watch an advert and take the entertainment value for what it is, instead of putting your own rubbish theory into it. It happened with Aussie banning the baby driving the 4wd advert, and now this. Grow up.
Kris
If they are going to base their life around TV and decide to jump off a building after seeing an ad then I see let them. It should strengthen the gene pool.
Charles Stewart
Ridiculous. When is this stupidity going to end? I cannot understand how the majority in this world is scrutinised so much by a few who see themselves as the guardians of the stupid. the ads are some of the better I've seen, they show a spirituality for those away from home and loved ones. For Gods sake, tell these people to get a life and leave us alone!
Chris
The ads show amazing scenery and the ends show families and friends re-uniting. They are very much feel good ads.
