To wonder what the hell MNDA are thinking with this poster?

[WoonerismSpit]

It reads like they are saying if Michael had performed the ice bucket challenge, he would never have been diagnosed. Like some sort of MND karma.

Obviously they can't mean that, but AIBU to think that it has been worded spectacularly badly?

[LashesandLipstick]

That's worded terribly!

[TwinkieTwinkle]

That is so bad.

[RachelWatts]

I saw someone ranting about that poster on FB a while ago.

Apparently, it's a direct quote - the guy on the poster actually said those words, although I can't help thinking he must have said quite a lot of other words as well which would have given some context.

MNDA have more posters in this campaign which are better.

[cuntycowfacemonkey]

Bloody hell! Even if those were his own words what a stupid thing to put on a poster. I didn't do the ice bucket challenge either, doesn't mean I don't care about people with MND and doesn't mean I am now more likely to get MND.

Reads like one of those awful chain letters "now write to 10 more people or you will have bad luck" shame on them

[coffeetasteslikeshit]

Ha! That's sounds so wrong.

[JohnFarleysRuskin]

It does sound wrong!

No matter that it's a direct quote- the marketing dept chose to use it and others signed it off.

I didn't do the challenge either. Oh shit...

[Allbymyselfagain]

God that's terrible! Who in their right mind thought that was ok. For what's it worth I didn't do it either. But I did donate the £100 instead, am I safe?

[Thurlow]

I was going to post about this the other day! There's one at our train station. I think it's absolutely shocking.

[SumThucker]

That is shocking!

[SummerHouse]

I think the message is that he dismissed it as a prank/ he did not see it as relevant to him/ he now sees the importance of raising awareness as hence is part of a poster campaign. Its controversial but I would never have seen this otherwise. He is clearly ok with it and he has just been diagnosed. I am in two minds.

[cuntycowfacemonkey]

TBH it wasn't until long after the ice bucket challenge craze died down I even realised it was raising awareness about MND. I dunno it's like those make up free selfies everyone was posting, everyone's talking about the selfies but noone's actually talking about the disease it's meant to be hi lighting.

[SummerHouse]

I saw the video of why the challenge started (in the US by a man who had been diagnosed who had previously looked after his mum with the condition.)

I had freezing water and ice chucked on me and I donated. They raised millions. Its a small charity and that money means a lot.

If some people did it without knowing what for that's no bad thing.

[SpringBreaker]

The poster has achieved its goal. I hadn't seen it, until now when it is mentioned on here.

My aunt died of mnd and it is an illness that many people had never heard of until the ice bucket publicity.

[BeaufortBelle]

Why's it awful? I didn't know the ice bucket challenge raised money for MND. I think it also draws a parallel with probability. It is probable and easy to do the ice bucket challenge. It is improbable that a fit young man who might so easily have done the challenge has been diagnosed with MND. As I read it, it raises consciousness about a very serious life limited disease.

[WoonerismSpit]

Belle the wording inadvertently (I think!) implies that he was diagnosed because he didn't do the challenge, like one of those bloody chain letter things someone else mentioned

[DoJo]

I also read it as 'I didn't appreciate the importance of the campaign last year, but now I am living proof that awareness needs to be raised even by those who may not be interested.'

I can see how you could interpret it as a sign of 'karma', but presumably his is just one way of representing the challenges that awareness campaigns face, and perhaps his story might resonate with some people.

[WinterOfOurDiscountTents15]

the wording inadvertently (I think!) implies that he was diagnosed because he didn't do the challenge,

No it doesn't. What kind of idiot would you have to be to think thats why people get diseases? It can only imply what you infer.

[WoonerismSpit]

Hence me saying inadvertently winter. I'm not saying that is what they are saying. I'm saying that's how it reads; it could have been worded a lot better.

[GrumpleMe]

I agree it's not ideal. But I think he was just describing the irony of his specific situation.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

No matter that it's a direct quote- the marketing dept chose to use it and others signed it off.

Quite.

What were they thinking?

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

I don't see the offence here.

They are just putting a real face to MND.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

It's the implication that there's a connection between the failure to IBC and the development of MND Fanjo. An unfortunate juxtaposition of ideas.

[GrumpleMe]

I don't get that implication, although I can see how others might.

I think reading it that way is 2 + 2 = 5.

[MaggieJoyBlunt]

Maybe not implication. I'm sure (hope) it isn't what was intended but it's a bizarre pairing that is wide open to that inference.

[fanjoforthemammaries7850]

Maggie thanks. Yes I did get that :)

But I think it's not really something that is offensive or a realistic connection to make.