A New Zealand police recruitment advertisement has been pulled from print and online campaigns. The commercial was aimed at enticing a higher number of young officers to join the force. The banned ad read: "We've got a lot in common with cougars, we like 'em young too." The tongue and cheek sense of humor seems to have reflected poorly on local police culture.
The controversial New Zealand police recruitment ads managed to pull in 25,000 online inquiries before they were pulled.
Banned Bobby Billboards
The Controversial New Zealand Police Recruitment Advertisement
Trend Themes
1. Controversial Advertisements - There is an opportunity for AI-powered brand monitoring that alerts companies to controversial campaigns before they go to market.
2. Online Recruitment - The success of the online inquiries suggests that the recruitment industry could benefit from going digital.
3. Diversity and Inclusion - There is an opportunity for promotional materials to focus on diversity and inclusion to prevent future offensive ads.
Industry Implications
1. Marketing and Advertising - Marketing agencies could specialize in creating controversial advertisements and generating online buzz.
2. Law Enforcement - Police departments could explore new and more effective ways to recruit younger officers.
3. Technology - AI-powered brand monitoring software could be developed further to detect controversial and offensive material before it goes public.