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The advertising agency's letter - Source: ONE News -
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An Auckland advertising agency has apologised over a shock anti-drug campaign which has backfired.
CreativeBank sent out more than 200 letters, including some to
prominent New Zealanders, Inviting them to try the drug P.
The letters came with bags of rock salt.
The aim was to raise awareness about an anti-drugs campaign - but that seems to have backfired.
"Don't know if youve ever tried P before but lots of Kiwis have and they can't get enough of it. It's such awesomely mind blowing stuff," the letter says.
CreativeBank executive director Marco Marinkovich says people are used to shock tactics and the letter was an attempt to make an impact.
Attached to the letter was a bag of rock salt with the note, "on the street this much P is worth $1,000".
It is all part of a campaign to highlight the effects of the use of P use.
Marinkovich says unfortunately this Christmas more New Zealanders will try P because they think they are bullet proof "and probably cause they're ignorant".
The letter was sent to 241 people, including Prime Minister John Key and recieved seven complaints.
Leading anti-drug campainers do not agree with the tactic.
"Anything where you're trying to capture people or engage people in the subject, you've got to always be wary. Just as many as you capture, you can turn just as many off," says Mike Sabin, MethCon Managing Director.
The letter and fake P was sent on behalf of the Stella Trust which raises money to fight P use.
The trust is not impressed with the letters.
"In this case, (Marinkovich) possibly went a little too far and upset a number of people in the process. That's unfortunate but his objective was to raise the profile of the issue and I believe he's done that," says Alistair Burry, Stella Trust chairman.
One unnamed recipient says the letter is disgusting, that his firm will no longer deal with CreativeBank and has filed a complaint with police.
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