| Stoner Sloth | |
| Agency: | Saatchi & Saatchi |
| Client: | New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet |
| Language: | English |
| Media: | Television |
| Released: | 2015 |
| Country: | Australia |
| Budget: | $500,000 |
"Stoner Sloth" was an anti-cannabis public service announcement series of three videos, created by Australia's New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet in 2015.[1] [2]
Each ad begins with a scenario involving people in public places. As everyone is acting "normal", it is all disrupted by Stoner Sloth, a sloth who reacts slowly while moaning. Stoner Sloth is meant to represent the behavior of a stereotypical stoner and its actions are accompanied by a musical cue of a guitar being weakly strummed. The human characters around Stoner Sloth usually react with disgust or disappointment.
The creative firm Saatchi & Saatchi created the ads which "backfired miserably" and were an "instant and classic fail",[1] according to trade publication Adweek. The agency defended its ads, which cost $500,000.[3] The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre distanced itself from the campaign.[4]