Is your ego satisfied

[Ghoulish Delight]

Cartoon Network/Adult Swim is in some hot water over some advertising that appeared in Boston for Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16902707/

I for one am highly amused. Plus, I love the caption to this image.

http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070131/070131_device_hmed_3p.standard.jpg

"Two characters in the cartoon named Ignignokt and Err are "mooninites" — trouble-making characters that look like 1980s-era computer graphics. They are represented on the devices making a hand gesture they often use."

[CoasterMatt]

LMAO!!!

Homeland Security is really amazing, ain't it?

[CoasterMatt]

It looks like somebody busted open a Lite Brite - what kind of retards called these in as "suspicious devices"?

[katiesue]

I saw that earlier and was dying. Your tax dollars at work.

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Pre-9/11 the reaction by passersby would have sounded like this.

"Hey, check it out, blinky light. Isn't that from Aqua Teen? Heh."

Reaction circa 2007:

"OMFG A BLINKING LIGHT ATTACHED TO A BUILDING WE'RE ALL GONNA FCKIN' DIE AAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE"

[JWBear]

Notice that these things were in a number of cities, but Boston was the only one that panicked?

[Alex]

However, it is really hard for me to imagine that whoever appoved this didn't foresee this reaction.


Either it was really, really stupid or someone has a lot of balls (and figured it is all worth the show, which 99% of people have never heard of, getting a lot of publicity).

[Stan4dSteph]

It's nice to see such rapid response. The devices had been up for about 2-10 weeks before anyone noticed.

[Gemini Cricket]

Their advertising campaign worked. I had no idea what ATHF was until now.

[Ghoulish Delight]

It's nice to see such rapid response. The devices had been up for about 2-10 weeks before anyone noticed.Or, put another way, it was up for 2-10 weeks before anyone decided that a Lite-Brite is a terrorist tool.

Their advertising campaign worked. I had no idea what ATHF was until now.
I love Aqua Teen. Love.

Last night as Adult Swim started they displayed a disclaimer/apology saying they had worked with the proper authorities to deal with the matter and remove all of the ads in all 10 cities. They also made sure to mention that it was a "third party advertising company" that did it.

I was really hoping they'd throw some laugh in at the end of the disclaimer The disclaimer was in the same white text-on-black style as their bumpers are so I was totally anticipating their usual brand of irreverent, dry, sarcastic humor, but I guess Cartoon Network was sufficiently scared by homeland security to not risk it. Damn.

[Alex]

If this really was unintentional, you'd have thought the marketers would have learned the lessons taught by <i>Mission Impossible 3</i>.

But even best case this was the type of viral grafitti-esque marketing I despise (though not so bad as when "peace, love, linux" stencils were on every San Franciso sidewalk).

[Ghoulish Delight]

The comedy continues.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16921137/

Outside, [two ad agency employees who were arrested and are out on bail] met reporters and television cameras and launched into a nonsensical discussion of hair styles of the 1970s. “What we really want to talk about today — it’s kind of important to some people — it’s haircuts of the 1970s,” Berdovsky said.About a dozen fans gathered outside Charlestown District Court on Thursday morning with signs saying “1-31-07 Never Forget” and “Free Peter.”

[blueerica]

I guess what I don't understand, after a quick scan of the two articles, is that they are calling it a "hoax"... who was being deceived?

“It’s clear the intent was to get attention by causing fear and unrest that there was a bomb in that location,” Assistant Attorney General John Grossman said at their arraignment.

What kind of a moron is this John Grossman? Maybe unrest, but fear? Lame.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I liked this one.

“The appearance of this device and its location are crucial,” Grossman said. “This device looks like a bomb.”Some in the gallery snickered.Followed by...

Outside the courthouse, Michael Rich, a lawyer for both of the men, said the description of a bomb-like device could be used for any electronic device.
“If somebody had left a VCR on the ground it would have been a device with wires, electronic components and a power source,” he said.It was a freaking lite-brite. Get over yourself, Boston.

[Stan4dSteph]

If this really was unintentional, you'd have thought the marketers would have learned the lessons taught by Mission Impossible 3.Please elaborate. I'm not familiar with those lessons...

[NirvanaMan]

Morons. They are all morons. Plus they have a weird accent. And they keep electing Ted Kennedy. Which just further emphasizes my initial comment.

[SzczerbiakManiac]

The comedy continues.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16921137/That site didn't work for me (I don't use IE), but this (http://wbztv.com/video/?id=28369@wbz.dayport.com) loaded just fine in Firefox.

[Alex]

Please elaborate. I'm not familiar with those lessons...

Whoops, meant to include this link (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12553521/) with that comment.

For me, it depends on where exactly it was put. The picture included in the first post doesn't look like a Lite Bright to me. Attach it to the bottom of a bridge or any other semi-secure location and I can see starting to wonder.

Particularly when in an environment where you're being actively encouraged to watch out for suspicious packages as pretty much every public transportation agency does (and this first package was found near a bus stop).

I'd have to see exactly where they were and exactly what their context was before I ridicule the authorities as over-reacting fools.

But it is good to know that something becomes innocuous if you put a Lite Brite board over it. Maybe if they put a label on it saying "This is not a bomb, don't be scared."

[blueerica]

I especially love the accompanying video to the second link GD posted. GOLD!

[bewitched]

I thought you were just asking if my ego was satisfied.




No.

[Not Afraid]

I sure wish I could stop singing the Lite Brite song.

[bewitched]

I sure wish I could stop singing the Lite Brite song.

Thanks. :rolleyes:



;)

[Not Afraid]

I really hate suffering alone. :evil:

[DreadPirateRoberts]

I really hate suffering alone. :evil:

Gee thanks!


...outta sight makin' things with lite brite..

[bewitched]

I really hate suffering alone. :evil:

LOL!

"I want my bbbaby backs...I want my baby backs..."






You're welcome. :D

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/61/67505.htm

[Strangler Lewis]

I sure wish I could stop singing the Lite Brite song.

Here you go:

"Marvel the Mustang . . . .

[innerSpaceman]

Ok, I've been readling about this all day ... but every single picture of the scary terrorist device shows a happy face made of lights.

Is that how the terrorists do it nowadays?

[Motorboat Cruiser]

Ok, I've been readling about this all day ... but every single picture of the scary terrorist device shows a happy face made of lights.

Is that how the terrorists do it nowadays?

Only the sneaky ones.