The Salmon-Forty-Salmon - Good marketing or bad idea?

[mikelewis]

Crooks and Liars led me to this article:
http://www.adn.com/front/story/7038924p-6942571c.html

Apparently, $500,000 of federal grant money was just spent on painting a 747 to look like a salmon. They of course dubbed it the Salmon-Forty-Salmon. While witty, is this really where our money should be spent right now?

"A local nonprofit agency, the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board, gave Alaska Airlines a $500,000 grant to paint the jet. The money came out of about $29 million in federal funding U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska and his congressional colleagues have appropriated to the marketing board, created in 2003, to promote and enhance the value of Alaska seafood. The senator's son, state Sen. Ben Stevens, is chairman of the agency's board of directors.

The state's commercial salmon industry has struggled for years due to competition from foreign, farm-raised salmon, but the promotional dollars are helping the industry make a comeback, said Bill Hines, the marketing board's executive director.

Many commercial fishermen and industry boosters have dreamed of seeing an Alaska Airlines jet emblazoned with a fish, Hines said. Alaska Airlines approached the marketing board with the idea, and the board awarded the grant.

"I thought the concept was absolutely right on," Hines said. "You have a flying billboard going all over the West Coast as well as places like Chicago, Denver, Dallas and Mexico."



Now, I do agree that helping out our fish farmers in Alaska is a benefit to the whole nation. A thriving fish market is not only wise, it's biblical. However, do you honestly believe this will send a message to people that we should start buying more Alaskan Fish? Are people expected to look up into the sky and see a flying fish and instantly feel the need to search out a salmon? What about when the plane is beyond sight of the naked eye? The only time people are going to see this billboard is when they are at or near the airport. Do you think this will entice the passengers on the planes to order the fish? I'm not sure if you're aware of this or not, but when you are on a flight, never, ever, never eat the fish.

So the question of the poll is, aside from the outlandish nature of this particular stunt, do you feel federal money should be spent to advertise products?

[bloom]

1. I think it's a cool fish and good marketing

Seems like the question should be should the government be giving money to anyone for marketing for anything - who decides - is it fair - or whatever.

If the answer is yes - that we want the government to help fund marketing of certain industries - I would say it is very effective marketing - look at all the publicity.

And if the government hadn't paid for it - the industry should have anyway.

[democracyindanger]

2. Benefit Alaskan fishermen = good

but this is a dumb way to spend $500k of a marketing budget.

[ClintonTyree]

3. Wasteful.........

anyone who doesn't already know that there are Salmon in Alaska is a fucking idiot and wouldn't eat Salmon anyway. They'd want RED MEAT, and lots of it!

[Blue_In_AK]

4. Fishermen in Alaska

don't FARM -- they FISH. That's the big difference between Alaskan wild salmon and that "other" salmon. However, I don't think federal money should be used for this. It's just one more of Uncle Ted's little pork projects for Alaskans that we don't really want.

[Totally Committed]

5. It's a shame that money wasn't used to feed some hungry children instead.

This country's priorities are so screwed up! I am ashamed when I see something as foolish as this when so many children go to bed hungry every night!

Goddammit!

Ugh.

TC

[KansDem]

6. I dunno, I just hope it doesn't suddenly decide to fly upriver to spawn.

Might result in passengers getting wet feet...

:freak:

[SpiralHawk]

7. It's a Christo-Fascist Plot !

Verily I say unto ye, the Sign of the Flying Fish Shall Be Seeneth in the Sky...Know that the HOUR has come around at last.

What rude beast slouches toward Bethlehem?

[Pharlo]

8. What I am unable to grasp is how this is an effective advertising campaign

I could understand it on a bus or a train, but do they REALLY intend flying a 747 low enough and at a slow enough speed to be viewed by people?

Or, is it not a regular commercial jet? Is its sole function to fly from one PR event to another?

I just don't think painting a fish on a plane is the most cost effective use for this grant money.

[mikelewis]

9. Get this, they only painted the sides.... Morans

How are people gonna see this from the ground?