Archive for March, 2007

A new Israel billboard!

March 19, 2007 at 11:24 pm · Filed under advertising, billboards

I was in downtown Oakland over the weekend, but didn’t join the Barack Obama rally. Instead, I drank plenty of bubble tea and roamed Chinatown. Then I saw a billboard related to the Real Israel ads I’ve been documenting.

Billboard in downtown Oakland, CA about Israel having freedom of the press

This is a new one! “Freedom of the Press in the Middle East? Only in Israel.” That’s the caption below a photo of two guys, each one reading a newspaper written in a, uh, a language that’s not English. I think the guy on the left is holding a paper in Arabic, but I’m not sure. The guy on the right, though, is hella cute.

This is certainly different than “The Real Israel” billboards which came across to me as promoting tourism. This freedom of the press-themed ad is more political in nature.

And why are these Israel billboards placed in such odd locations? Judging by the modest  size of the billboards and the (speaking kindly) modest-income neighborhoods I’ve been finding them in (Richmond’s Iron Triangle, West Oakland, the edge of Oakland Chinatown), I’d guess perhaps the media buyer was able to get these for cheap!

I saw this “Only in Israel” billboard at a parking lot on the corner of 8th and Broadway smack dab in downtown Oakland, California. Here’s a wider shot to show how small it is.

If you’ve seen this anywhere else, let me know. Better yet, send me a photo!

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You want a CD with that?

March 12, 2007 at 11:07 pm · Filed under Bricks and mortar, Marketing, brand awareness

Starbucks forms record label – CNN.com
Starbucks Corp. said Monday it has formed its own record label, Hear Music, to develop records for sale both in its coffee shops and through traditional music retailers.

I was never one for buying CDs especially when they’re being sold in a place that isn’t a music store. Starbucks, however, has been promoting different recording artists for years now by selling CDs next to the cash registers.

Now they’re starting their own record label. That’s quite a stretch, by my standards. If they had started a line of ceramic dishware, I wouldn’t have been surprised.

I’m not sure if anything Starbucks’ Hear Music puts out would be of interest to me. When I go to Starbucks, I’m certainly not there to listen to their music. Not when I have my own musical preferences on my iPod.

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“Maxed Out” documentary comes to San Francisco

March 8, 2007 at 5:28 pm · Filed under Media, consumerism

Maxed Out: Hard Times, Easy Credit and the Era of Predatory Lenders 2006

A documentary on how credit card companies prey on the most vulnerable consumers — and how the American government looks the other away. Screens at Landmark’s Opera Plaza Cinema on Van Ness in San Francisco for six days starting tomorrow, Friday the 9th of March.

Here’s the synopsis of “Maxed Out” which is directed by James Scurlock.

If I can swing it, I’ll try to catch it tomorrow.

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