Well I am really glad I might have put a smile on your face earlier today with a light-hearted look at diabetes because I was just sent a notification of the new Public Service Announcement video from the International Diabetes Federation.
It is on their home page.
I think that smile you had this morning might be short-lived. I have many thoughts but I would rather you share yours.
You can see the video here:
http://www.idf.org/worlddiabetesday/news/diabetes-kills-public-service-announcement
I am a diabetes dad.
Please visit my Diabetes Dad FB Page and hit ‘like’.
15 replies on “A New Video PSA from IDF——Uhhhhmmmmm…….You Might Have an Opinion On It.”
I applaud the IDF for acknowledging the serious nature of diabetes. The main part I don’t like is at the end “Learn how to stay healthy”. That statement might work if they are discussing T2 but for T1 I would have preferred “Please help us find a cure”. Staying healthy is important for everyone but the healthiest individuals on Earth can be struck with T1 (occasional T2 also but I’m speaking generally). I believe until we have distinct type class name revisions, every ad out there will raise confusion because the types are very different in their onset & daily management. Even in this ad, Diabetes is mentioned with no clarification of types so the public is left thinking its all the same.
“Learn how to stay healthy.” Oh, maybe if I learned how to keep my daughter “healthy,” she wouldn’t have this awful disease. That’s it. Now I know how she got diabetes. Been wondering. HATED the video!!!!
Thanks for drawing this to our attention. What a dreadful video!
That video is not a message I would use to share awareness of T1. I would not share it with my son either. If there is a need to have a Diabetes Kills message (and I’m not convinced there is) it should be in the context of how not to let it kill.
Too stark; too devoid of information.
Thanks Elaine…that is why I took you to the home page so you could see it as I saw it, I am not so sure the plan is to be ‘just a video’ without additonal info. Perhaps one is to add where to go for more information at the end of the video.
Not impressed here. It is talking about type 2 , we know that but once again the message will be confused and people will assume our children aren’t healthy and that is why they got type 1 d. A great dis-service to all those with diabetes as it implies that type 2 is purely a lifestyle condition when that isn’t true either. Grrrr
I’m sure there is more to the campaign than this, but how horrible to produce an ad that lacks so much information. They have an opportunity to create awareness and yet what they are doing with their time is creating confusion.
It is disappointing.
I’m not quite sure what the goal of this video is. It makes diabetes seem like getting struck by a stray bullet (or stray tornado?) — completely by chance. That’s not what it’s about. Being aware, knowledgeable, and disciplined – but still having the freedom to walk down the street like everyone else, is what it’s about.
Hate it! 1. It generalizes diabetes there are around 9 types all of which with proper care can be managed with help from others. 2. I do think we need to enlighten how it kills like a sudden low or a chronic high instead of the complications, but the ending messages needs to be help find a cure.
This is absurd. I did not know this was a commercial for the smoke monster from Lost! I understand the point the video is supposed to make, but it does a very poor job of conveying the message.
UNCONTROLLED diabetes kills.
UNCONTROLLED diabetes causes fatal complications.
No specification of type of diabetes (heavy feeling towards type 2 for some and type 1 for others)
No real indication of what anything is until you see “Diabetes Kills”
I agree with the message, but the video is just wrong.
I am Jesse “Pumpslayer” Nagel Dx’d 12/5/01
Thanks Jesse for adding your thoughts.
Regards always,
–tom
Not. A. Fan.
This is sooo disgusting and disturbing that a so called diabetes organization could even consider this as raising awareness maybe they should take a look at the positive steps being taken here by jdrf Australia in the lead up to diabetes awareness week a survey by them was open to families they then used the results which showed the major frustration to be the media not being clear on the difference between t1 and t2 and not enough t1 awareness they have a video which is an open letter to the media challenging them to do better There is also a media toolkit link on the website to help achieve this and a few other things being released over awareness week to start things off it is a step in the right direction but this video is so many steps back so disappointing
I am horrified by this. Ending in ‘find out how to stay healthy’ ???? My son WAS a healthy 6 year old when the ‘black cloud’ of T1D struck–he is NOW a healthy 9 year old winning at the game he plays everyday–‘think like a pancreas.’
I hope there is more to this–when it is aired–but voice overs are not always heard–what people will remember is what they see—and the message I see is Diabetes is your own fault because you are unhealthy.
If our own diabetes community can get a message so wrong–it is no wonder that the public perception of diabetes is so wrong.
Reposting the comment I left under the video on IDF’s website here:
“This is confusing and weird. Diabetes sneaks up on people like an evil specter from a children’s book. And then, whammo, that’s it? That was my take-away which, as far as I know, is completely inaccurate. IDF, I love the work you do. Please, please take another look at this.”
IDF does great work. I hope they take the negative feedback seriously and ditch this video.