Well, it certainly got me thinking...

When I first heard about Peter Watkins-Hughes public service announcement (PSA) about the dangers of texting and driving, I must say that I was somewhat puzzled by the controversy.

With the volume of incredibly diverse material available on television and the Internet, I was curious as to whether "another video" would be effective at communicating this kind of message to this kind of audience.

I am not going to analyze the production from a film critic's point of view; you and others can judge the acting and videography. Quite frankly, I had a hard time thinking about it from that perspective, even after the video was over.

There's a stunning realism to it. And many viewers, especially those in the target audience, along with their parents, will find that it strikes a chord. Can the audience relate personally to something in the video? I think many would argue that this PSA resonates with a pretty broad spectrum in society.

Furthermore, the ability to place this PSA video using a variety of social media increases its utility for communicating to an audience oft-described as "generally desensitized". If you haven't done so already, you can access the PSA through this site.

You will form your own opinion regarding its ability to communicate the message. I think they have a winner. Not because it uses a graphic depiction of pain and suffering, but because it works, without causing undue harm to the audience. My approach is generally laissez-faire when it comes to the choices of individual companies or organizations adopting strategies like this, as long as they don't inflict any collateral damage along the way.

For a PSA, what matters most is whether or not it works. The bottom line here: it certainly got me thinking...

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