vip in the city

Upper West Side, you rule.

I’m late to the game in posting about this — it’s what comes of being consistently behind on the blog — but I started noticing these controversial Virgin Mobile ads around my neighborhood the last couple of weeks. Richard Branson’s media conglomerate (via their Durham-based ad agency Havas’ McKinney) began rolling out its $15 million “You Rule” campaign in late May to tout its pay-as-you-go cell phone service. Seems the ads are everywhere now: 350 neighborhood-tailored spots around the city – the national campaign launches in July – riling locals in Bed-Stuy, Chelsea, the Lower East Side, Chinatown and others with their neighborhood and borough-stereotype-promoting copy. Love ’em or hate ’em, people are talking. And that’s the point of advertising, no?

So how do those North Carolinians characterize the Upper West Side?

The New York Times reported on how New Yorkers are responding to the ads. (Not so well.) Virgin Mobile’s chief marketing officer is quoted saying, “We’re either equal-opportunity celebrators or equal-opportunity offenders. The reality is that we’re stirring up a dialogue and people are talking about our services.” Unfortunately, some of that talk was over amusingly misplaced ads; the one above, mocking our across-the-park neighbors as “tied down and uptight,” was inadvertently plastered on a few streets on the Upper East Side. Whoops.

Yep, we liberal-thinking, stroller-pushing, moment-siezing Upper West Siders love our parks — even the tiny ones.

There are 6 Comments ... Upper West Side, you rule.

Qsoz
June 22, 2007

It’s twice the fun with two buggies in one!!!

vipnyc
June 23, 2007

Fun for some, maybe. Not all.

Jomama
June 25, 2007

UES, you rule

vipnyc
June 26, 2007

“Our deepest apologies for intruding without a formal invitation. We know this message might be keeping you from a therapy session or a benefit for one of you many worthy causes. But we wanted you to know that it is you, Upper East Side, who still promotes culture and refinement in this city. Why, if it weren’t for your patronage of the Arts, those scruffy downtown types would have no idea that their crude expressions are actually attempts to render our collective neo-political angst. Speaking of lording power over others, cell phone companies that lock you in to long-term contracts? Unacceptable. Plans without contracts? Classy, like you.”

Qsoz
June 27, 2007

I feel dirty reading that ad copy.

Qsoz
June 29, 2007

Who the hell is Jomama?

Go for it ...