marketing
02/02/2007
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Bomb Scare: Bomb The System
Two defendants in the great ATHF Mooninite Boston Freak-Out of 2007 speak to the media about... haircuts in the 1970s. Although Fox News calls this "Judgement Day" for the two men who installed light-up boxes with advertising images for the show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," it actually appears more like judgement day for traditional media.
The two defendants' lawyer instructed them not to speak to the press about the case. Even a Fox reporter admits that hair in the 1970s is a more interesting way to respond to a press conference -- certainly better than "no comment." More than an irreverent press conference, this epitomizes the confrontation between old and new media strategies. Viral campaigns work -- ATHF got more publicity out of this campaign than any billboard or TV spot could have brought them. Not only are they on Fox News, CNBC, and NPR, but they are all over the blogosphere.
Traditional media outlets don't quite seem to understand how to respond to an event like this. Viral marketing is relatively new (though I know we can debate that) and has yet to have a stable vocabulary and agreed upon set of standards. Despite reporters' attempts at indignation and disapproval, nobody really seems to care. All the comments on YouTube express sympathy for the two men. One typical comment read: "I think the police, the department of homeland security, and the press (especially fox) are the a-holes. These guys don't have any duty to take this press conference seriously. They generated plenty of sympathy with me. The city should blame themselves and the current political climate. These guys are in no way responsible."
In contrast, Turner Broadcasting announced today that they would cover the cost of Boston's response to the light boxes. Full page newspaper ads also explained that this was not an intended consequence and that Turner Broadcasting and Cartoon Network are deeply sorry. Read more here.
I tend to agree with BoingBoing's Ed Adkins: "Dear US Media Outlets: Please stop trying to report on things you don't undersand. The bloggers will cover the ATHF story from here on out."
