The brainstorming for this ad came largely from discussions of both the rise of the conspiracy group QAnon, as well as the participants of the January 6th Insurrection (the two often overlapping). Specifically, we wanted to cover:

1. Participatory Disinformation
   1. Friend B has engaged with a conspiratorial “anti-post office” framework with “new friends,” and now easily shares and disseminates false information (but genuinely believes it to be true)
2. Malinformation
   1. Friend B points to the price of stamps raising (something that is technically true) as evidence of wrongdoing and conspiracy, when really it is just a product of very typical inflation.
3. Radicalization
   1. Friend B has adopted (and expresses) increasingly irrational or problematic ideas, such as carrier pigeons being faster than mail trucks, and the desire to illegally storm a public building.
   2. Also, Friend B has been disconnected from their seemingly normal variety of interests, in favor of exclusive interest in one topic.

A Post Office was chosen as a building that is technically governmental, but without any recent nationally traumatic associations. In fact, it is very specifically banal and innocuous. Humor was used again, as were the lead characters being existing friends. Wanting to still model healthy and compassionate communication, Friend A does not try to immediately dissuade Friend B from their ideas, but instead extends a genuine offer of social engagement and acceptance. They are effectively offering a healthy alternative version of what Friend B feels they are getting from this new group of people.