Mark in USA Today - The value of PR
August 8th, 2007
Click on the image to read the whole article on the USA Today Website.
Mark Stevens is in the national spotlight again, this time in a page 3 story in USA TODAY: “CITIES DRAW LINE ON RISQUÉ BILLBOARDS”.
Hundreds of new visitors came to MSCO’s Web sites, no doubt intrigued by the message and asking: Who gets to decide what’s OK and what’s risqué?
The articles begins: “Mark Stevens has seen his website’s name in the clouds, if not exactly in lights: ‘www.YourMarketingSucks.com.’” The reporter, Charisse Jones, then gives an account of how this message was posted on a billboard purchased by Stevens, and one day, without notice, explanation or reimbursement, he drove past it only to find the message removed.
The article identifies similar billboard messages across the country taken down because of one or several complaints. But ask yourself: Do you have a right to eliminate or remove everything you disagree with or don’t like? Is that the American way? Or do we behave like adults who know that everyone won’t agree or like every thing, and move on.
Read the article online to get Mark’s reaction, and comment on the story yourself.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-08-06-billboards_N.htm
In case you missed the kerfuffle earlier you can read Mark’s original post here: Mark Stevens Vs. Warren Buffet And you can read some of the comments on the issue here: Comments on Billboards that Suck
And we’re interested in knowing your take on this whole issue, even if you made a comment earlier… leave one now.
By: Chris Kieff
August 9th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
Dear Mark,
I think the continuing flap over your billboard is inane. I have an eight-year-old myself and I HATE sitting in line at the grocery store waiting for her to ask about various magazine stories. I am occasionally appalled at banner ads on sites supposedly friendly to her age and interests (the sites may think they are “safe” but they pay little attention to whether their advertisers are). I can’t let her watch Top Chef with me until I’ve made sure there won’t be a verbal slugfest that week that I have to explain too much (not picking on them, but you get the point). How many parents want to explain Queer Eye to young ones? If you live in an urban area, have you seen abortion protesters’ posters? What nightmares can small children get from those?
Yet, we survive. I do grocery shop, she does play games online (while I sit right nest to her), we walk the streets of Philadelphia, we occasionally watch tv after 8 pm. Explaining stuff is my job as a parent, and the obligation and opportunity to teach good values is what I happily signed on for.
BTW, I have a well-worn copy of your book on my shelves right now. My daughter was just old enough to read when I purchased it, and I admit I made a plain paper cover for the book so I wouldn’t have to explain my owning a book with a word I find offensive and unacceptable on its cover. Some day she may wonder why, but it has aroused no curiosity in all this time… nor have any other books in my business library. : )
On the inside, your book is indispensible, and that’s why I own it.
Regards,
Kelly
August 13th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Chris,
I have been following this closely, as well, and find it disturbing. We have taken political correctness and sensitivity to a dangerous place, where soon we may not be able to say much of anything worthwhile, let alone provocative.