ADVERTISING
CBS MTA Bursts Thought-Bubble Subway Poster Campaign
Photos: Barbarian Blog/Flickr (Click to enlarge)
On July 31st, these posters for Hello Health, a new local internet-savvy doctor service, went up in a couple of L and G train stations in Brooklyn. Within days, riders had filled in many of the bubbles. On August 5th, The MTA pulled the posters because, they said, the ads promoted subway vandalism. No. Shit. At least they promoted orderly subway vandalism, unlike the NYPD recruitment ads or this Summer's movie posters.
But of course the malfunctioning MTA was going to pull these posters—the ad people at The Barbarian Group seemed genuinely surprised by this. Now Hello Health is on the hook for a six-month media buy, and the idea—including the service's own bubble logo—is completely dead, according to Barbarian president Benjamin Palmer. Yikes. Back to the blank computer screen. The MTA didn't return two calls for comment. After the jump, take a look at a sampling of how New Yorkers thoughtfully expressed themselves. UPDATE: CBS is eviler than the MTA.
Photos: JayParkinsonMD
by Copyranter on August 13, 2008
Comments (4)
In love??
I thought NY was a tough city.
Teach them copyranter!
Posted by fd | August 13, 2008 10:22 AM
the MTA should plaster those everywhere. on top of other ads, even. that would curb vandalism completely.
Posted by david t | August 13, 2008 1:33 PM
Reminds me of when somebody thought it was a good idea to paint flies onto the insides of urinals, and it worked. Men stopped peeing on the rim/floor because they were trying to hit the fly.
I think they should put more up, or simply change them out every week or so; there is probably an extremely viral marketing hook buried deep inside of this that Barbarian is missing. What a shame.
Posted by Daniel | August 13, 2008 7:03 PM
After plastering the entirety of subway stations (e.g. Union Square video projectors) and cars (seen the full-interior ads on the 42nd st shuttle? http://bit.ly/4EjUvD), where does the MTA get off deciding which advertising techniques are acceptable? This HelloHealth campaign is innovative, fun, and engages the public with a local NYC company that's crucial to the public good. I'm sure the MTA won't be condemning the countless alcohol ads that litter their stations. Who do they work for anyway?
Posted by jonathanpberger | August 14, 2008 8:33 AM