As far as advertising goes, shocking images have a tendency to leave a lasting impression on the audience. To me, shocking images provoke thinking, which makes it prime tool for advertising. If one looks around today, advertisements for non-profit organizations are among the most shocking images. If one assumes non-profit organizations serves a positive role in the society, than it would be logical to say that shocking images are serves a positive role in the society.
The image above has a strong reference to the 9-11 attack, which, to many americans, is a very shocking event, and the ad reads "the Tsunami killed 100 times more people than 9-11" Although many are angered by this ad, as people usually do by shocking advertisements, message is clear.
