Kristie L. Wade

Billboards are a big way to market a company’s business or product due to the fact that they grab attention. Many people drive the same route daily and see that same big billboard. Generally this is a positive marketing tool for a company. However, I think we have all seen a billboard that screams what were they thinking?

Monday thru Friday my boys and I travel the same route on the way to school. I am very disturbed by a very huge insurance billboard that has the owner’s parents naked on it. We are a small town community where locals support our schools and businesses. A local insurance owner chose to market their business with this billboard using the slogan “You’re Naked if you’re Not Covered.” He chose the biggest billboard that I have seen, put his actual naked parents on the billboard and covered up their private parts with the slogan.

Many people including myself find this marketing controversial as well as unprofessional. Not only that, but this company had been a major financial supporter for our local school. Due to the controversial ad, the school and the businesses dropped them with good reason. Several employees have since terminated their employment due to this owner’s lack of concern for the small town to continuously see his parent’s so disgracefully displayed on the billboard.

How do you feel about this type of shock advertising?

Graphic Credit:
Sabrina Segal