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May 05, 2006

When advertising companies fail to think.

From CNS News - Mission Illogical: Movie Promotion Puts Lives 'at Risk'

A musical promotion for Paramount Pictures' upcoming movie, "Mission: Impossible III" was designed to turn the "everyday news rack experience" into an "extraordinary mission."

I always have reservations when advertising (or web design companies) talk about 'enhancing the user experience'.

The plan was to conceal digital audio players in 4,500 randomly selected newspaper boxes around Los Angeles and Ventura County. When newspaper buyers opened the racks, the six inch long, two-and-a-half inch wide red plastic boxes -- connected to activator switches on the news rack doors -- would play the easily-recognizable "Mission: Impossible" theme song.

An unidentifiable red device connected by wires (red-black-white) to the door of a news rack. What could go wrong?

One newspaper buyer saw the device and switch, thought it was a bomb and called authorities. After an inspection of the newspaper rack could not determine whether the device was explosive, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb squad blew up the newspaper rack.

All the advertising people together now, hum along: Dumb, dumb, dumb, dum-dum...

But what about the lives at risk? After one was discovered inside the lobby of a veteran's hospital, 300 people were evacuated and doctors were not allowed to enter to treat patients.

Scrawled illegibly by Meathe at May 5, 2006 09:54 AM

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