EVERYBODY’S TALKING

Everybody’s talking about the Iron Chef/McDonald’s subliminal ad situation. Have you heard about it?

During a recent episode of the popular Food Network program, an image of the golden arches logo on a red background with the current tagline appeared for 1/30th of a second in the middle of the segment. A viewer posted the clip on YouTube, then the story was picked up by a local Chicago news show, and is now being discussed on television and blogs worldwide.

Although they are a sponsor, McDonald’s denies using subliminal advertising techniques, and Food Network claims it was merely a technical glitch.

Personally, I think it was a brilliant marketing move. The media coverage of the story has given McDonald’s, Food Network, and Iron Chef millions of dollars worth of free advertising.

When it is done right, a little controversy can turn into a major publicity stunt. As long as you don’t break the law or cross moral boundaries, you are only limited by your imagination. The more outrageous the stunt, the more attention you are likely to get.

What can you do to make sure everybody’s talking about you?

Comments

[Don]

Does calling it a publicity stunt make it not subliminal advertising? And how does that not cross an ethical boundary? I get the concept of generating free buzz, but if you have to resort to subterfuge, I'll take a pass.