Advertising causes a ruckus. Again.
It’s a tale as old as time. Company comes out with an “edgy” advertisement. Someone gets offended and complains. Company discontinues ad and apologizes. Company gains 100 times more attention from the ordeal than they would have received from the actual ad. Everyone wins.
The latest installment in our saga occurred in South Bend, Indiana, where a local Mexican eatery referenced a 30-year-old event in their billboard. And all you-know-what broke loose.
Maybe it’s because I’m too young to remember the Jonestown cult, but I don’t quite understand the outrage. Personally, I’m more offended by Old Navy’s mind-numbing “Ankle Show” TV spot, or basically anything that involves Justin Bieber. But that’s just me.
I’m not saying the billboard was politically correct. Or good, for that matter. But let’s look at the numbers, shall we? Without the protest, the billboard would have been seen only by the fine folks of South Bend, population 101,168. With the protest, it’s gotten an estimated bajillion views on the internet.
Yeah, way to teach the company a lesson, Mrs. Complainer Lady.
Tagged with billboard, commercials, Jonestown, politically correct