$2 million US settlement in Boston TV ad bomb 'hoax'

[gatorboy]

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/tv/story/2007/02/05/turner-boston.html

Turner Broadcasting Systems and ad firm Interference Inc. have agreed to pay $2 million US in the wake of an ad campaign that caused a widespread bomb scare across Boston last week.

The two companies agreed to pay several state and local agencies to resolve any potential civil or criminal claims against them, state Attorney General Martha Coakley said Monday.

Public areas in Boston were evacuated and bomb squads responded last Wednesday after three dozen blinking electronic signs were found in subway stations, on bridges and in other public places.

Highways, bridges and a section of the Charles River were shut down and bomb squads were studying the devices before authorities declared they were harmless.
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That's a nice little scam Boston has going there. Now you're required to pay settlements just in case someone thinks your product's a bomb.

Coca Cola is loaded. Now all someone needs to do is report a coke can bomb and Boston is set for life!

[MadHound]

1. Geez, rewarding stupidity

Nice how that happens. Probably the only positive thing for this from the Turner viewpoint is that they've gotten tons of free publicity. But certainly now 2 million.

Sorry, but nine other cities didn't freak out over this, Turner shouldn't have to pay for Boston's freak out.

[gatorboy]

4. Aqua Teens ratings did go from 300,000 to 700,000+

But that will probably be short lived.

It will be interesting to see how the movie does though.

[aikoaiko]

2. next comes those who do unauthorized public art.

shame.

[evilkumquat]

5. Better Lock Up the Kids Who Draw Sidewalk Chalk Art , Too

I better keep my four-year-old and five-year-old children away from their stash of Crayola's finest, then.

I would hate for my city to lock them up for terroristic displays of Dora the Explorer and Stephanie from Lazytown.

Evil Kumquat

[Dora]

3. How much does prime time advertising cost per minute?

I'd like to see how that number compares with how much the per-minute cost breakdown of the $2 million settlement.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. That they paid so readily suggests that they were confident that it would cost more to litigate.

Quite frankly if the ads were attached to public property in other cities or to private property without permission of the owners, Turner is risking more lawsuits.

[gatorboy]

7. That's some expensive littering.

Alice's Restaurant would be proud!

[Leopolds Ghost]

8. Well, You Can Get, Anything You Want... on the Moon.

"We do whatever we want, whenever we want, to whomever we want!
Including dump mountains of trash in your backyard! Happy Thanksgiving, Earth Man! HA HA HA HA"

:smoke:

[frylock]

12. getting what you want is easy..

filling it with illegal substances and sending it across the border isn't.

[rocktivity]

9. It would have cost Turner $2.6 million to place a Super Bowl Ad

according to Air America's Rachel Maddow. So in exchange for the publicity, they actually SAVED money. But I'm delighted that they're reimbursing Boston for the overtime. Deliberately leaving around unmarked electronic-looking devices in this day and age—what the hell was Turner thinking? And I can’t help but notice that they haven’t exactly rushed to the aid of the two who were arrested.

:eyes:
rocknation

[Rosemary2205]

10. Cheaper than a regular marketing campaign. nt

[deepthought42]

11. Boston better watch out...

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