MSN Ads Anger NYC

Zardon · Oct 25, 2002, 08:43 PM

In what seems to be another case of overzealous corporate marketing, New York City officials are angry with Microsoft for placing advertising decals on city streets.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft plastered the city with the decals, which were aimed at building buzz around the launch of its MSN 8 Internet service. MSN 8 debuted officially on Thursday with a party and a rock concert in New York's Central Park.

The decals featured the MSN brand logo -- a multicolored butterfly -- and the service's new tagline, "It's Better with the Butterfly." The ads appeared on city streets, sidewalks, signs and the sides of buildings.

However, the practice -- like all forms of writing on or defacement of city walkways -- is forbidden under New York City ordinances.

"I think there are a lot of corporations that don't know that placing these ads on the sidewalks or on our pedestrian indicators -- our walk/don't walk signs -- is indeed illegal," said Tom Cocola, a spokesman for New York City's Department of Transportation.

While such stunts have long been mainstays of city political and record-label advertising, corporate "guerilla" marketing practices have also become increasingly common in recent years, as companies and ad agencies have sought new and innovative ways to boost awareness of new products. In fact, guerilla marketing is seen as so useful that a number of specialty agencies have sprung up around the practice.

But several cities take a dim view of some guerilla marketing efforts. Cocola said the city sent Microsoft a "cease and desist" letter and fined the software giant $50 for the campaign. If Microsoft doesn't stop, then the city will take further action, he said. That could include asking for an injunction and criminal prosecution.

"Generally in the past, other corporations have immediately stopped," he added. "They, understandably, don't understand this is indeed a violation. I guess there are other cities where you can do this and get a permit. Not in New York."

It's unclear how many butterflies were posted throughout the city by Microsoft. Cocola estimated that the Department of Transportation collected "a few hundred" decals, but added that the city has gotten reports of some still scattered throughout Manhattan.

It's also unclear which of Microsoft's agencies is taking credit for the stunt. McCann-Erickson Worldwide handled the bulk of the company's $300 million marketing budget for the MSN 8 launch, but such street-side activities are typically farmed out to smaller, local agencies that manage street teams.

The brouhaha makes Microsoft the latest major corporation to run afoul of New York City over the rule. Earlier this week, Nike concluded a similar effort and agreed to cease pasting its decals around the borough. Cadbury Schweppes's Snapple did the same earlier this year.

IBM made perhaps the most extensive (and expensive) such gaffe in the tech world when it began pitching its adoption of Linux in its "Peace, Love, and Linux" campaign last year. For the guerilla marketing aspect of the effort, Big Blue hired marketing firms to chalk or spray paint graphics on the sidewalks of several major cities.

The company and Ogilvy & Mather, its ad agency, said they had understood the graphics would be temporary; when they persisted long after the campaign, IBM wound up paying thousands in fines and shelling out to have the ads removed. Some of IBM's artists were arrested in San Francisco and Chicago.

"We don't want to come off like we're going off on these companies, but by the same token, we don't want a proliferation of this stuff," Cocola said. "If we turn the other way for Microsoft and its butterflies, then we have to do the same for the next big corporation that's doing a guerilla ad campaign. We've had this situation before, will probably have it again." By Christopher Saunders

Furious · Oct 25, 2002, 08:58 PM

Well that $50 fine ought to get their attention.

kinetic · Oct 25, 2002, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Furious
Well that $50 fine ought to get their attention.

Lol!

***craig5320*** · Oct 25, 2002, 11:42 PM

I'm sure Bill sees $50 as a good price for his ad campaign

Kelsenellenelvian · Oct 26, 2002, 12:17 AM

Oh my god not FIFTY BUCKS he'll never be able to afford that! Microsoft will crumble and the world will come to an end!! May the gods help us all.... aarrrrggghhhh

Dividend · Oct 26, 2002, 02:36 AM

Fining Microsoft for $50. lol. It's like fining the ocean for a teaspoon of water

***craig5320*** · Oct 28, 2002, 08:31 AM

Update
Late Friday MS apologized for using public property as an advertising platform, the Associated Press reports. "We apologize to the City of New York and the people of New York City," the wire service quotes vice president for MSN Personal services and business Yusuf Mehdi as saying. The company has not explained why it's apologizing for something it claimed to have permits to do. The city has fined MS $50.00 for its inconsiderate behavior.

Laughin on the inside no doubt

Shaith · Oct 28, 2002, 03:58 PM

Let's not forget that Microsoft generously offered to help clean up the mess.

NYC should have fined them $5000 per sticker. I'm fairly certain the $50 fine made the jackass who decided on it a complete laughingstock.

nForcer · Oct 29, 2002, 02:18 AM

My God. Just fining them at ALL is flat out halarious!

I tell you what, why don't we just fine Microsoft for listening to thier customers! No wait... the US Government already tried that...and lost!

And you know Mr. Gates is in the background with his CFO wondering "who's gonna take the 50 dollar hit?"

Oct 25, 2002, 08:43 PM	#1
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	MSN Ads Anger NYC In what seems to be another case of overzealous corporate marketing, New York City officials are angry with Microsoft for placing advertising decals on city streets. On Wednesday and Thursday, Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft plastered the city with the decals, which were aimed at building buzz around the launch of its MSN 8 Internet service. MSN 8 debuted officially on Thursday with a party and a rock concert in New York's Central Park. The decals featured the MSN brand logo -- a multicolored butterfly -- and the service's new tagline, "It's Better with the Butterfly." The ads appeared on city streets, sidewalks, signs and the sides of buildings. However, the practice -- like all forms of writing on or defacement of city walkways -- is forbidden under New York City ordinances. "I think there are a lot of corporations that don't know that placing these ads on the sidewalks or on our pedestrian indicators -- our walk/don't walk signs -- is indeed illegal," said Tom Cocola, a spokesman for New York City's Department of Transportation. While such stunts have long been mainstays of city political and record-label advertising, corporate "guerilla" marketing practices have also become increasingly common in recent years, as companies and ad agencies have sought new and innovative ways to boost awareness of new products. In fact, guerilla marketing is seen as so useful that a number of specialty agencies have sprung up around the practice. But several cities take a dim view of some guerilla marketing efforts. Cocola said the city sent Microsoft a "cease and desist" letter and fined the software giant $50 for the campaign. If Microsoft doesn't stop, then the city will take further action, he said. That could include asking for an injunction and criminal prosecution. "Generally in the past, other corporations have immediately stopped," he added. "They, understandably, don't understand this is indeed a violation. I guess there are other cities where you can do this and get a permit. Not in New York." It's unclear how many butterflies were posted throughout the city by Microsoft. Cocola estimated that the Department of Transportation collected "a few hundred" decals, but added that the city has gotten reports of some still scattered throughout Manhattan. It's also unclear which of Microsoft's agencies is taking credit for the stunt. McCann-Erickson Worldwide handled the bulk of the company's $300 million marketing budget for the MSN 8 launch, but such street-side activities are typically farmed out to smaller, local agencies that manage street teams. The brouhaha makes Microsoft the latest major corporation to run afoul of New York City over the rule. Earlier this week, Nike concluded a similar effort and agreed to cease pasting its decals around the borough. Cadbury Schweppes's Snapple did the same earlier this year. IBM made perhaps the most extensive (and expensive) such gaffe in the tech world when it began pitching its adoption of Linux in its "Peace, Love, and Linux" campaign last year. For the guerilla marketing aspect of the effort, Big Blue hired marketing firms to chalk or spray paint graphics on the sidewalks of several major cities. The company and Ogilvy & Mather, its ad agency, said they had understood the graphics would be temporary; when they persisted long after the campaign, IBM wound up paying thousands in fines and shelling out to have the ads removed. Some of IBM's artists were arrested in San Francisco and Chicago. "We don't want to come off like we're going off on these companies, but by the same token, we don't want a proliferation of this stuff," Cocola said. "If we turn the other way for Microsoft and its butterflies, then we have to do the same for the next big corporation that's doing a guerilla ad campaign. We've had this situation before, will probably have it again." By Christopher Saunders

Oct 25, 2002, 08:58 PM	#2
Furious I'm blind not deaf!! Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 260 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Well that $50 fine ought to get their attention. __________________

Oct 25, 2002, 11:42 PM	#4
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,578 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	I'm sure Bill sees $50 as a good price for his ad campaign __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Oct 26, 2002, 12:17 AM	#5
Kelsenellenelvian Master of my own Destiny Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: EverDawn Kingdom,TruEarth Posts: 1,394 Rep Power: 0	Oh my god not FIFTY BUCKS he'll never be able to afford that! Microsoft will crumble and the world will come to an end!! May the gods help us all.... aarrrrggghhhh __________________ [color=#0000ff] Download Windows Post-Install Wizard v4.3.8 and WPI Lite v1.2 Here [/color][color=red][color=blue][/color][/color]

Oct 28, 2002, 08:31 AM	#7
*craig5320* HH Administrator Join Date: May 2002 Location: Manchester, UK Posts: 8,578 Rep Power: 445 System Specs	Update Late Friday MS apologized for using public property as an advertising platform, the Associated Press reports. "We apologize to the City of New York and the people of New York City," the wire service quotes vice president for MSN Personal services and business Yusuf Mehdi as saying. The company has not explained why it's apologizing for something it claimed to have permits to do. The city has fined MS $50.00 for its inconsiderate behavior. Laughin on the inside no doubt __________________ HardwareHeaven on Facebook

Oct 26, 2002, 02:36 AM	#6
Dividend the Lurker Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 40 Rep Power: 0	Fining Microsoft for $50. lol. It's like fining the ocean for a teaspoon of water

Oct 28, 2002, 03:58 PM	#8
Shaith HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 916 Rep Power: 0	Let's not forget that Microsoft generously offered to help clean up the mess. NYC should have fined them $5000 per sticker. I'm fairly certain the $50 fine made the jackass who decided on it a complete laughingstock.

Oct 29, 2002, 02:18 AM	#9
nForcer Twice the fun! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,404 Rep Power: 0	My God. Just fining them at ALL is flat out halarious! I tell you what, why don't we just fine Microsoft for listening to thier customers! No wait... the US Government already tried that...and lost! And you know Mr. Gates is in the background with his CFO wondering "who's gonna take the 50 dollar hit?"