UNICEF Advert
UNICEF bombs the Smurfs

In October 2005 UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, launched a short animated film advert to highlight the impact of war on children. The film was made with approval of the family of the late Pierre Culliford (PEYO), creator of the smurfs and was produced to be shown late at night on Belgian television to an adult audience. In an effort to raise awareness about the many ways conflict destroys children’s lives, the smurfs are first shown living happily and having fun playing around a campfire, this soon comes to an end though when war planes bombard the smurfs and their mushroom village.

The news of this advert spread around the world and featured on the news programmes and in the newspapers of many countries. It seems that seeing a favourite cartoon character in such shocking circumstances certainly brought the advert to the attention of many.