I was out and about doing some errands today and as usual was listening to talk radio, WABC, in the car. Two things stood out. First was that the pace at which the death toll in Asia continues to rise has not slowed at all. The second is that some people execute their marketing plans completely without thought. Less than a minute after the latest reports from the Indian Ocean, I heard an advertisement  for this film

Forces of Nature is an IMax film from National Geographic. I don't recall the exact words of the radio spot but this description of the film from the web site seems fairly close. The tone and language are quite similar.

OVERVIEW  The ground shakes, mountains explode, the sky turns black and violent — experience our planet’s fiercest powers as “Forces of Nature” delivers the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes and tornadoes. From volcanic eruptions on the island of Montserrat and trembling fault lines in Turkey, to storms ripping through the notorious “Tornado Alley” of America’s Midwest, modern-day disasters from around the globe are witnessed in eye-popping enormity on the giant screen. The film, by National Geographic in partnership with Graphic Films, captures inspiring and terrifying atmospheric and geological events, then takes audiences behind the disasters with scientists willing to risk their own lives to understand these forces and increase our odds of surviving these events.

LOGLINE Experience on the giant screen our planet’s fiercest powers, as “Forces of Nature” delivers the awesome spectacle of earthquakes, volcanoes and tornadoes.

The ad I heard was for screenings at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, NJ. But the film is also playing in a number of IMax theaters across the country.

I would really like to be able to give the folks at the Liberty Science Center the benefit of the doubt. It is probably difficult if not contractually impossible to change what they are showing, but I know that with a simple phone call they could have pulled the ad. I want to believe that it was all just an error, an oversight. I just don't want to think that they are using the deaths of 80,000 people as a way to fill theater seats.

I've tried to call WABC's Continuity Department, which is the only point of contact I could find on their web site for commenting onadvertising (212-613-3817) but have been unable to get through. I wanted to ask them why they didn't pull the ad out of their rotation.

I have written to the Liberty Science Center:

To whom it may concern,  I heard your radio advertisement for the movie Forces of Nature on WABC earlier today. It was unfortunately played very shortly after a news story on the still rising death toll of the tsunami's in southern Asia. It was overwhelmingly offensive.  I am curious to know if the present tragedy figured at all into your decision making regarding the promotion, and even the continued showing, of this film. I would certainly hope that you did not see a disaster resulting in the deaths of 80,000 people as a hook to sell more tickets.  I understand that your radio buy was probably scheduled well in advance of the earthquake and tsunamis and that you have limited control over when it airs, but I also know that with a simple phone call the ad could have been pulled. I assume due to scheduling and contracts, it is likely not possible for you to pull the film from your theater and put something in its place, and having the theater closed would not be good for the overall facility. Would you consider donating the proceeds of ticket sales since the earthquake to a relief fund?

If and when I get a response, I'll post an update.

Posted by: Stephen Macklin at 10:47 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment