Guerilla marketing gone wrong
Ask.com hired a guerrilla marketing sign company to advertise one of their latest online products. What they didn't know was that the tactic the company used was both illegal and very unsafe for drivers.
- NW region TMC flow operators first heard about the sign on the WSP scanner and verified it with cameras. Traffic anchor Jenni Hogan saw it and was the first to mention it on Twitter.
- At first we didn't want to draw attention to them.
Saw that you pulled out #Goteam :) RT @wsdot_traffic: @jennihogan we are not drawing attention to it either. State patrol is on the way.- Oh I didn't even think of that danger RT @wsdot_traffic: @jennihogan guerrilla marketing would have take a wrong turn if banner fell on I-5.
- After thinking about it further we realized there was a lesson to be learned for other companies to let them know this isn't safe to do.
- Obviously, these people haven't downloaded our @wsdot_traffic app: 1.usa.gov/xptBaC #NoBanners yfrog.com/h4h65jkj
Dear @askdotcom, it's both dangerous and illegal to hang marketing banners from overpasses. #notcoolguys
Way to go @wsdot :Dear @askdotcom, it's both dangerous and illegal to hang marketing banners from overpasses. #notcoolguys
Haha, nice: RT @wsdot: Dear @askdotcom, it's both dangerous and illegal to hang marketing banners from overpasses. #notcoolguys
Nicely done! RT @Hey_CP “@wsdot: Dear @askdotcom, it's both dangerous and illegal to hang marketing banners from overpasses. #notcoolguys- Ask.com took the time to respond to us to let us know they were unaware of the hazards their marketing team had created and were very understanding about fixing the situation.
