Media Meditation #4 It is surely destined to go down as one of the most talked about news stories of the new decade. The "saga" of the 33 trapped Chilean miners keeps on taking more twists and turns then a soap opera.
What started out as a typical "trapped miners probably going to die horrible deaths" story has morphed into a media blitz that would make a Kardashian sister jealous.
One company that's not complaining is Oakley. A new study by CNBC has found that Oakley collected an estimated 41 million dollars in advertising time by donating special UV protective glasses to the miners, who wore the glasses when they were rescued.
After taking into account the live coverage, recaps, and the estimated audience that tuned in, it looks like Oakley's product placement came to more then double the entire cost of the rescue operation.
Many people are beginning to questions Oakley's motives and whether they were using the operation as a marketing tool, or simply showing a gesture of good faith.
It's unheard of really, what kind of corporation would ever think to take advantage of a human crisis for product placement? Large transnational big businesses never would be so greedy.
After the success of this disaster sponsorship, Oakley should branch out to other rescue attempts such as making water resistant glasses for toddlers who fall down wells or orchestrating another mine collapse, this time during prime time.
Good disaster blogging here, Jake.
ReplyDelete(Terrifying, really.)
Give us a bit more analysis, and caption and credit your photo embed, for excellence, brother.
Dr. W