Sony Draws Reproach Over Graffiti-Style Ads

[somebodeez]

Sony just can't seem to stay out of trouble

PHILADELPHIA — Graffiti and billboards are sensitive topics in this densely packed city, where municipal officials and community groups have joined forces in recent years to crack down on advertisers that had blanketed low-income neighborhoods with ads for beer, liquor and action films. The city prides itself on the hundreds of murals that decorate walls and buildings once smeared with graffiti.

In addition, Mayor John Street has waged a campaign to clean up the city, mounting programs to erase graffiti, clean up vacant lots and tow abandoned cars.

So, many in the city took offense when what appeared to be graffiti on building walls in inner-city North Philadelphia in recent weeks turned out to be what many consider even more annoying — stealth advertising.

(snip)

And last week, the city cited Sony for violating sign ordinances and ordered the company to remove the ads or the city wound take them down. Sony was warned that it faced fines for posting ads without a permit.

"They are not only illegal — they are disrespectful to the community," Joe Grace, the mayor's communications director, said of the ads in an interview Friday. "We believe in removing urban blight … and now we have a major corporation come in and just throw up ads without approval."

(snip)

"It's appalling," Tracy said. "Sony seems to have a sense of entitlement — that they can festoon our neighborhoods with their branding anywhere they want."

Just like they thought they could do whatever they wanted to our computers

For the whole article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-graffiti2jan02,0,5491562.story?co...track=morenews

[ZAPPER]

Hmm, let's see...

Target a market that can't really afford the product and lead them to believe that the product is a necessary item to fit in with the culture. Hmm, well if they can't afford the product they can always steal one or steal to get one or engage in other criminal activities to get one. Good thinking!


Hmm, instead of using an outdoor advertising company that plays by the rules of the community law just go straight out and break the rules. Good thinking.

Hmm, offend your target market by pretending that you are part of or atleast in tune with them or the market, when in fact all you are is a multimillion dollar corporation trying to make a buck. Hmm, go figure.




Pardon my cynical attitude of late.

[painkiller]

Why am I not surprised?

Some years back, here in downtown Baltimore, was a restaraunt named Sony's. Please note the apostrophe and letter s.

That was the name of the female owner of the rather locally famous restaraunt.

Sony forced her to change the name of the establishment.

They said the consumers would be "confused."

I'd say they got it backwards.