Clutter Tolerance: The Public DOES Have a Limit, After All

As advertising has continued to pop up in areas that were formerly ad-free — supermarket conveyor belts and airline tray tables come to mind — I’ve often wondered where the line is. At what point will people just refuse to allow any more clutter?

The City of Galveston, TX, in partnership with Frito-Lay, inadvertently stepped over the line not long ago. According to the Houston Chronicle, Frito-Lay offered to donate $1 million to repair Fort Crockett Park in Galveston. Grateful city officials agreed to rename the park “Sun Chips Park at Fort Crockett.”

The public objected furiously, Frito-Lay backed off, and the space will remain Fort Crockett Park. The company was smart enough to let the city keep the money.

So if you’re mapping out the line, note that renaming a stadium or arena for a corporation is on the acceptable side. Renaming an iconic city park is not.

It’s worth noting, as an aside, that my 50th birthday is coming up in January, and Portland Trail Blazers officials have indicated that they’d be willing to consider selling naming rights to the Rose Garden Arena. If any of you would like to pay to rename it “The PhilDome”, I wouldn’t object.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Check out Phil Bernstein’s Facebook Fan Page — and become a Fan – here

Click here to learn the shocking truth about Phil Bernstein

Click this link to subscribe to Portland’s Finest Advertising and Marketing Blog.

Request your free copy of Phil Bernstein’s white paper, The Seven Deadly Advertising Mistakes and How to Fix Them here.

Got a question? Call Phil Bernstein, Portland’s Advertising Expert, at 503-323-6553.

LIKE THIS POST?

Sign up for my blog updates and never miss a post. I'll send you the first two chapters of my new book, Breakthrough Prospecting, as a thank-you.
Posted on
Categories: Advertising, Branding, Marketing, Phil Bernstein
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.

Your Chance to Be Heard -- Comment Here!

2 thoughts on “Clutter Tolerance: The Public DOES Have a Limit, After All”

  1. Now that the lines are blurred now maybe its time to partake. I think I will buy a bench in the park by my house. Yeah, only if I can put my ad on it like a bus stop. I am impressed with the guy that negotiated this deal. Bravo! He deserved a raise. Meanwhile the guy that took the deal…?

    Great blog…keep it up!~

    Reply

  2. It’s a desperate land grab for marketers to own stuff in the public eye. They’ll be after words next, with the help of those crazy judges who grant patents to pharma companies for every gene under the sun. In fact I have it on good authority that Microsoft is trying to patent the word ‘new’. Soon we’ll have to spell it New(R)TM with a footnote: New(R)TM is a registered trademark of Microsoft(R)TM. Use it without attribution and we’ll switch off your broadband and reduce your Bing ranking to zero.

    Reply