'Phone or Die' in Bed Stuy
If the Bed Stuy edition of the new locally-targeted ad campaign from Virgin Mobile is any indication, Branson et al should probably get back to the drawing board before the national roll-out. Here’s the text: When people close their eyes and think of Brooklyn, your legendary brownstones come to mind. That’s because everyone from rappers…
If the Bed Stuy edition of the new locally-targeted ad campaign from Virgin Mobile is any indication, Branson et al should probably get back to the drawing board before the national roll-out. Here’s the text:
When people close their eyes and think of Brooklyn, your legendary brownstones come to mind. That’s because everyone from rappers to directors have used you as the backdrop for stories about life in the neighborhood that has everything. Do or Die is more than a moniker. It speaks to the fact that you don’t take crap from anyone. Especially newcomers who want to change Bed-Stuy into some sort of yuppie strip mall. With us you only make changes if you want. That’s the beauty of our cell phone plans without annual contracts. Because Bed-Stuy, we know you call your own shots.
It’s a good thing Virgin Mobile has been so entrenched in the community for so long and isn’t trying to exploit it for commercial purposes! Check out another of the ads that up along the BQE on the jump.
Reminds me of the Dominos ads for “Brooklyn Pizza” except that those were just stupid–not mean-spirited like this bs.
Y’all doth protest a bit too loud.
Ditto. No doubt Virgin will have a store in one of the “yuppie strip malls”. Phoey.
What’s a yuppie strip mall? Isn’t that where you go to buy a Virgin Phone?
‘Everyone from rappers to directors have used you.’ Broad spectrum indeed.
Really weird– most of Virgin’s marketing is pitch-perfect and clever. This is really bad. (New agency, maybe?) Nothing worse in advertising/PR than a campaign that tries too hard to be hip, down-with-the-kids, in-sync with a neighborhood. I can’t even stand the local billboards for “Everybody Hates Chris” that include the line “except Brooklyn.” Suck it, you patronizing bastards.
Talk about corporate irresponsibility! What a mindless and senseless ad campaign!
what does that blurb even mean? god that’s irritating.
I love the smell of corporate paternalism in the morning…Thanks Virgin Mobile for keeping it real
I’m going to throw up.
That’s all the neighborhood needs, corporate sponsors to exacerbate racial and class tensions. What 15-year-old thought up this ad campaign? I bet you anything they’ve never even set foot in Bed-Stuy.