Virgin Mobile Spitzer Ad - Tasteless? Yes. Crass? For Sure. Effective? You Bet

Heidi Skinner calls Virgin Mobile the poster child for quick reactions because of this ad which hit two Toronto dailies (dead tree editions) the day after Eliot Spitzer resigned as Governor of New York.

“I’m tired of being treated like a number.” The ad goes on to say, “…you’re more than just a number. When you call us we’ll treat you like a person, not a client. Whether you’re #9 or #900, you’ll get hooked up with somebody who’ll finally treat you just how you want to be treated.”

Sad how Spitzer's gone from coulda been president to a punchline. But yes, Virgin seized the moment and more companies should jump on news angles in their ads.

It's what PR people have been doing forever. No less than a dozen different shrinks were quoted on page one of the NY Times this week, and you can be sure editors were inundated with PR people representing all manner of psychologists, psychiatrists, marriage counselors, etc.

During the Wife in the Fast Lane contest I created for author Karen Quinn last spring, I used Anna Nicole Smith's death as fodder for blog ads. The copy:"I knew I was living in the fast lane when I heard Anna Nicole Smith bought the farm and my first thought was, maybe I can get her TrimSpa gig." It prompted the comment that became the copy for the ad on the left. "Unconscionable trout", I love that!

Tasteless? Yes. Crass? Oh yeah.

Clickthru rate on Perez Hilton? 8.7%

Related:
Anna Nicole Smith Entry in Karen Quinn's Wife in the Fast Lane Contest Sparks Controversy

via David Armano on Twitter