Advertising in the wake of TERROR 

September 23, 2001

If corporate America isn't so evil, why was advertising so taboo in the wake of the September 11th attacks on America (or attacks on Western capitalism, as some view the "big picture")?

At the Formula One Grand Prix of Monza, the Ferrari team removed all sponsor advertising from its cars.  No giant Marlboro logos, no FIAT logos, no SHELL OIL decals, no TIC TAC, FEDERAL EXPRESS, BRIDGESTONE, or ASPREY logos!  Just a small Ferrari logo and a black nose cone.

Even the NHL got into it.  In the pre-season games at a number of arenas, the boards were void of the 360 degree wraparound of corporate America, replaced in many cases with a message like "UNITED WE STAND".

CNN ran coverage for a couple days with no sign of advertising to interrupt the flow of news.  They gradually eased back into advertising, most notably the advertising of churches on TV.  When the stock market re-opened, high-tech ads began running in heavy rotation, giving a nation the go-ahead to advertise again.  

These examples are quite interesting - the Paperless One doesn't quite understand it.  He is fascinated with advertising, yet incredibly jaded towards it at the same time.  However, since September 11th, he has seen a kinder, gentler corporate America, and can't help but think of that visionary, Neil Young:

"...Got a kinder, gentler machine gun hand
We got department stores and toilet paper
Got Styrofoam boxes for the ozone layer
Got a man of the people, says 'Keep hope alive'
Got fuel to burn, got roads to drive"

Keep on rockin' in the free world...

- The Paperless One

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