One of the world’s biggest food companies, Mars Inc., launched a new guerrilla campaign that would make New York City’s most ardent street artists proud. Adweek reports that stickers promoting Snickers were strategically placed by ad agency BBDO New York around Brooklyn and Manhattan — on both public and private company — to highlight the “goofy mistakes” people make when they’re not high on candy. The tagline on the stickers read: “You make mistakes when you’re hungry.”
It’s certainly a clever and fun way to point out some of the oddities around New York that are hidden in plain sight. It’s also illegal.
In one instance, one of the branded stickers was placed under a misplaced tile in a subway station. ANIMAL contacted the MTA to see if it was some form of sanctioned guerilla marketing. “Creative campaign, but it’s vandalism,” wrote MTA spokesperson Kevin Ortiz.
How did BBDO defend themselves against this criminal activity? They submitted the following statement to Adweek:
These were easy to peel off stickers that were only up for a short period of time in order to capture the images included with real people in front of real mistakes. The branded stickers were taken down shortly after.
Could you imagine if graffiti writers and street artists used the same excuse? No, me neither.
It’s okay BBDO, you make mistakes when you’re hungry.
(Photo: Adweek)
