UPDATE (WITH PHOTO): Starbucks' advertising gimmick fools Boston motorists

The ad is a venti-sized Starbucks cup magnetically connected to the roofs of about 100 Boston taxicabs. Motorists continually mistake it for a Starbucks cup left on the roof.  An Independent Taxi Owners Association official says: "People will pull up to cabs driving 55 miles per hour and start beeping and pointing to the roof." (See a photo of the coffee cup on the taxi roof, courtesy of Chris Ray.) (Boston Herald)

Comments

[kellan]

I've seen it a few times, I'll try to grab a photo the next time I see one.

That said, folks who are taken in by this aren't the sharpest around, the cups are placed right in front of a large Starbucks ad. They could have been great, but the large corporations are rarely subtle.

[dyn]

Am I shocked that they are confused by the cups??
Well I have had artificial flourescent pink flowers on top of my car for two years now, {came from the dollar store and have lasted numerous car washes and two Massachusetts winters so far...why is the crappy stuff usual so long lasting? Like McDonald's french fries??} anyway, these people yell at me at least once a day, " hey lady..ya fahgut ya flowuz!!" yup thank you, ok thank you....Now when it comes to a baby in a car seat on the roof...were people as helpful???

[eric fader]

Here is their tv ad...http://www.theredcup.com

[jim]

In New York, the cups are on private cars and there is no accompanying ad or message. Which is much more subtle.

[cornfrost]

It creeps me out that anyone would approve an ad showing a taxicab mowing down a woman on a street corner. This ad reminds me of that distasteful and disturbing Subway ad -- the one where the security guards are so busy eating their Subway sandwiches that they blow off the woman whose purse is snatched.

Wow. Really sucks when your holiday viral marketing campaign isn't noticed until after the holidays. :)

[elswinger]

The TV ad is funny! Too bad you can't buy a sense of humor.

[Steve]

........*YAAAAAAAAWN*........Wait, was that supposed to be funny?

[amanda]

if someone was in a car accident caused bu a distraction due to one of the cups they could sue and starbucks would settle for millions. i bet.

[Cunning Stunt]

I'm betting it would be far cheaper for Starbucks to drag out litigation, use discovery to shred the privacy and dignity of the plaintiff, and force the prosecution to prove the accident was really due to the fault of the ad. Then it would tell the lawyer they'll give them a token 20K to make the nightmare stop.

That's the problem with lottery litigation these days. It's not quite the pushover it used to be.

[Jen]

Last time I checked it is the responsibility of the driver to be in control of their vehicle at all times. What distractions are not the driver's responsibility? Can I sue a cute guy because he made me turn my head? Let's get real. Like it or not, Starbucks can say " made you look!".

[Trystan Shout]

The bizarre thing is that there is no payoff to this ad. I'm an advertising guy (TV, print, radio, the whole shebang) and, in my opinion, this "red cup" ad just plain sucks.

Let's analyze it: the cabbie drives like a lunatic, endangering himself, his passenger, pedestrians, small animals - and, defying gravity and physics, the cup doesn't fall off the roof. BFD. (Big Something Deal.) I am NOT impressed. Then the lesson for the viewer (including children) is that it's okay to steal someone's coffee. Aw, that's just terrific. Heart-warming for the season. But, wait, it's okay 'cause Santa's suit is a little dirty: he must be homeless! Man, I'm nominating this bad boy for Ad of the Year! It's got everything. (Except that everything blows.)

To the wiseguy who couldn't add something productive but took a swipe and lamented a preceived lack of humor, I have this to say:

If something's funny, we laugh. If it's either stupid, offensive, injurious or anything else lacking, we don't.

[Laurie Hodson]

Does anyone have photos of the summer 2005 Starbucks billboards? I thought these were unique. I have gotten pictures of the man in the hammock and the air mattress. I didn't get the kids jumping off the rock or any others. Thanks for any help. Laurie

[Martine]

Funny thing is my company is the one that put this program together. Good Morning America thought it was a great ideas. Newspapers wrote about it with glee. Groups on different sites seem to love the ideas- example- A person who expierenced it wrote about it on Flickr and had a large response from people who thought it was a pretty brillant ideas.

You can hate it or love it, bottom line is it got you talking about Starbucks and that my friend was what it was suppose to do! :O)

[jeri]

Does Starbucks really have a billboard in Riverside CA that is totally in Spanisch? I sure hope not!

[Jordan Spizike]

A wise guy has learned to tolerate other folks, so he can naturally lead a pleased lifestyle. He understands to always keep a coronary heart of conscience and never to spread others’ blunders. Did you concur with me?

[Jordan II Kicks]

It is not enough to do good; one must do it the right way. Do you think so?