The Boston City Council is holding a hearing today to discuss guerilla marketing. They're suggesting that there be a notification process regarding campaigns, so that they don't get caught off guard.
Says City Council President Maureen Feeney:
“Our agenda is not to ban these types of marketing activities. We don’t want to violate First Amendment rights. We understand that this is an innovative new technique, but what we do want is to understand how we can engage and involve these marketing agencies to apprise the city of what’s going on.”
They also have said that they can keep a secret - and that marketers won't have to worry about campaigns leaking from their department.
On paper, this sounds like a good idea. Why not keep them informed? But in reality, this would never work.
Marketer: "We'd like to paste oversized posters onto the sides of buildings"
City Council: "Uh, no."
Real guerilla campaigns come in two flavors: legal, and illegal. The legal campaigns are pretty easy. Negotiating for some otherwise unused outdoor space, for a unique installation. MINI has done this often. Because property owners are typically involved, there's no hoopla, and no need for a City Council meeting.
Illegal campaigns on the other hand, are graffiti style - and involve installing art or installations onto public places without permission. There's no scenario where the Boston City Council will (or could) give blessing to these campaigns.
And meanwhile, the police are still blowing things up like crazy.
3 comments:
Plus, can you imagine the calls they'll get?
“Um, ok. Today outside Bank of Boston, we're gonna have a stunt. Now, it’s gonna look like there’s a robbery going on, but it’s for a new Fox reality show. The bullets are blanks too, so don’t send police. Once we’re through, we’ll just drive around the corner out of the way. Thanks.”
Please ask for the Boston City Council stenographic machine
output and for the transcription of the machine output.
The more enquiries that are made for the public record of
the Council will make the remarks and debate of the
Councilors more available for review and comment.
Here's the Council stenographers contact links
http://cityofboston.gov/contact/default.asp?id=36
Ellen Fritch emfritch@aol.com
The Council stenographer, the City Clerk, the Assistant
City Clerk, the Councilors, the Council central staff are
in the room during the public meeting while the Council
stenographer is operating the machine and the machine is
recording and producing output.
Vendors for Council stenographic services could bid for
appointment as Council stenographer. Competing for Council
stenographic services would give the people better quality
stenographic services to record the remarks and debate of
Councilors, more advanced technology to record the public
meetings, more advanced software, closed captioning for
people with hearing loss.
http://cityofboston.gov/contact/default.asp?id=36
Council stenographer Ellen Fritch emfritch@aol.com
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