Sony admits flub with sidewalk ads
By: Brent Begin
May 28, 2009
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| Promotion: Some city residents were upset by the campaign to promote “Angels and Demons,” which advertised on sidewalks around San Francisco. (Examiner file photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — The company behind the latest guerrilla marketing campaign for a Hollywood blockbuster said they regret stenciling advertisements on sidewalks throughout San Francisco.
The campaign for the film “Angels and Demons” had some city residents screaming mad after finding the title of the movie stenciled in busy locales like Dolores Park, The Embarcadero and Market Street with a chalklike substance.
A letter dated May 26 and signed by City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Deputy City Attorney Jerry Threet accuses Sony Pictures of illegal graffiti, trespass of public property and unfair competition.
“Over the years, a public consensus has emerged in San Francisco that graffiti is a blight on The City,” the letter said. It goes on to mention previous cases in which The City had collected about $100,000 for cleanup.
Steve Elzer, senior vice president of media relations for Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, said an outside agency working with biodegradable chalk placed the film’s title on San Francisco sidewalks.
“This chalk is completely removable and while it will naturally fade away within a number of days, the vendor has already cleaned locations where remnants of the chalk did exist,” Elzer said in an e-mail to The Examiner.
“We regret any misunderstanding this may have caused, and this activity will not occur in the future in connection with the release of any of our motion pictures,” he said.
