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South Dakota Spent $450,000 On Ad Campaign To Combat Meth But Gets Dragged By The Internet For Seemingly Promoting Drugs

A new anti-meth ad campaign was launched by the state of South Dakota with the slogan “Meth. We’re On It.” But many Twitter users noted that the slogan sounded as if it was promoting the lethal drug and dragged South Dakota over the slogan.

Like many places in the United States, South Dakota has faced a methamphetamine epidemic.

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South Dakota issued a press release detailing the issues it is having with attempting to reduce meth abuse in the state. The statement said that there have been 2,242 meth-related arrests in South Dakota between January and August of this year. During the same time period, there have been over 57,000 grams or about 125 pounds of meth seized, and three meth labs shut down.

South Dakota’s Department of Social Services paid nearly $450,000 for the Broadhead Co. ad agency from Minneapolis to develop an anti-meth campaign to persuade people to not do meth. The statewide campaign will include a TV commercial, billboards, posters, and a website.

However, the half-a-billion-dollar ad campaign seemed to promote methamphetamine use.

With this new logo.https://t.co/u5l7HF7mK9 pic.twitter.com/OvRjkCqlHl

— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) November 18, 2019

The slogan for the campaign shows several South Dakotans with the caption: “Meth. We’re On It” and “Meth. I’m On It.”

— Alex Thompson (@AlxThomp) November 18, 2019

The ad campaign seemed so preposterous that people wanted proof that the “Meth. We’re On It.” was a legitimate state campaign. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem unveiled the poorly worded ad campaign in a Facebook video.

Governor Kristi Noem said she’s “on meth.”

Well, the campaign is sure to achieve the state's goal of getting people talking about an important issue. pic.twitter.com/eIdYqgLqDn

— Mike Baker (@ByMikeBaker) November 18, 2019

South Dakota’s Social Services Secretary Laurie Gill called the anti-meth marketing as “inclusive and empowering.”

— Andy Shain (@AndyShain) November 18, 2019

Twitter ridiculed the “Meth. “We’re On It.” campaign.

— Ben Collins (@oneunderscore__) November 18, 2019

— Paul Sacca (@Paul_Sacca) November 19, 2019

— speedius (@speedius) November 18, 2019

— Reno Gruber (@RenoGruber) November 18, 2019

— gingerbread mid-century modern🌵 (@jeuler) November 18, 2019

Some had the counterpoint that the ad campaign did just what they intended to do — bring awareness to meth abuse in South Dakota.