So, am I the only one who didn't pay much attention to the stunt when the guy broke the sound barrier? I guess 8 million people watched it live, but when I saw the story on the web, I thought, "Ho hum." It's not that it wasn't a feat, and must have been incredibly frightening and cool at the same time, but I was hardly overwhelmed with excitement. And, here's the kicker, I didn't even read the writing all over the guy's suit. There. I said it. I didn't even notice it. Sponosors' logos on sportswear have become ubiquitous. Like graffiti, they make people's eyes glaze over.
And yet, marketing people are all abuzz about the marketing genius
of Red Bull Stratos further blurring the lines of differentiation between
advertising, cause marketing and blatant self-promotion.
Was this a brilliant was to sell more product? Probably. As a non-user of energy drinks in general, my loss is no big deal to them. Besides, I'm hardly in the demo.
But from another point of view, I can't think of much that would make me less likely to ever consider the purchase of a Red Bull can. I find this stunt environmentally offensive. The author of the post says, "The beauty of Red Bull Stratos is that it's not just a sensational stunt, but a business move that could translate into estimated sales of tens of millions of dollars, according to Ben Sturner, founder and CEO of Leverage Agency, a New York City-based sports, entertainment and media marketing company." Ick.
The author goes on to brag about the excellence of the Red Bull Air Race. Again, Ick. Why?
The Air Race is loud, intrusive and annoying. And it
wastes a ton of fossil fuel!
Sorry, I just can't get behind the "genius" of a company that pollutes the air all in the pursuit of tens of millions of dollars. Yes, I think free enterprise is a good thing. And no, I don't think that profit is inherently bad. I just think that being environmentally respectful is everyone's responsibility. I also resent the subliminally intended advertising. That's no good for anybody.
