Advertising Stunt

[rain_gryphon]

I hope someone goes to prison over this. I hope the people who had their commute delayed by this file a huge, expensive class-action suit against everyone involved, too. I am so goddamned sick of every available surface being covered with advertising, and having to tolerate stupid guerrilla advertising stunts. I think it's way past time to regulate the advertising industry.

Comments

[mejeep.livejournal.com]

I saw one of those in Manhattan and didn't have a camera to record the incident. See how NYC didn't panic at all?

[xolo.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine anyone with common sense mistaking one of those for a bomb. Nonetheless, opportunity's knocking. I'm hoping to see an example made here. I want the guy that placed them in prison. I want the advertising agency sued into bankruptcy and attachment. If the lives of those involved end up seriously destroyed over this, that may be enough to put an end to guerilla advertising stunts for good.

yeep!

[mejeep.livejournal.com]

Wow! and I thought I was draconian (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draco_%28lawgiver%29) in my expectations when agitated! As for accountability of their actions, what is the name & title of the shit-for-brains responsible for calling the red-alert without understanding that these were already harmlessly placed in other cities? Why are all the TSA & homeland security employees allowed anonymity when they ought to be taken to task for their actions too? I agree that the ad agency that gave the go-ahead for this project ought to be publically flogged and used as cougar-food, but don't blame the contractors 'cause maybe next time it'll be one of us employed for what only in retrospect turns out to be a boneheaded idea :"/

[arcturax.livejournal.com]

Hate to say this, but they seriously over reacted. While it wasn't all that well of a thought out stunt, Boston was the only city that went nuts over it, despite this happening in 10 other cities.

Like terrorists are going to use a light up cartoon character sign as a bomb? You would think they would try to make it as unobtrusive as possible, not blinking HEY LOOK AT ME!

The $500,000 is how much all this police state gestapo crap they put up in response to 9/11 is costing us taxpayers.

[derechodragon.livejournal.com]

The fact that it was advertising something is beside the point. What this demonstrates is that the public and authorities cannot handle anything out of the ordinary in their lives. Any change to routine is viewed as threat. Similar incidents have occurred with lower profiles involving artists placing things in conspicuous locations in an attempt to give the public something else to look at.

In sum, this incident make me ask:

What happened to the land of the free and the home of the brave?

You can't do something you want to do, something that harms no one, without people being scared.

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

And according to the laws they were citing, 'making people scared' is a felony worth years in prison and a $500k lawsuit.

Such bullshit.

[jumpyfox.livejournal.com]

I don't like it when someone manages to cause panick over a dumb publicity stunt. On the other hand I don't mind advertising. I *love* Times Square in New York City. It's just so bright and shiny. Actually the Times Square is one of the last places reminiscent of the old days when bright lights and bill boards dominated the whole downtown scene in just about every American city.

In Old pictures of downtown Cleveland in the days before television, billboards were the main way of advertising. Just about every single building in downtown Cleveland had a billboard and many of them had neon lights. Coca Cola was the biggest one for having huge billboards and bright neon lights. Go to downtown Cleveland now and it's just dark down there. Not a billboard or neon light in sight anymore!

Anymore in Cleveland, you see billboards along Interstate 480 and that's it. Some of them have an image that changes and a bright plasma screen on them. I guess they can be quite distracting for driving but then again I still think they are cool. I just wish advertising could be used more effectively to make things look cool, like in Vegas with all the bright light displays.