Do You Rule If Virgin Mobile Insults You

Virgin Mobile's "You Rule" campaign has been in town for a few weeks, but the confusion still runs high. Ad agency Havas McKinney developed an ambitious outdoor campaign that involves specific posters and billboards to praise residents of various New York neighborhoods, such as Chelsea, Murray Hill, Lower East Side, Upper East Side, and Bed-Stuy.

But some people have been insulted by the ads (such as one Chelsea resident who called Virgin Mobile to switch to another provider) while others have noticed some ads have been misplaced. Now Staten Islanders are the latest to join the fray, wondering if their "Staten Island, You Rule" ad is tribute or an ethnic insult. Here's what the ad says:

"Staten Island, you rule. The name says it all. You are truly an island, physically and mentally. Thank you for your front yards, detached garages and SUVs. Thank you for the ferry -- the best cheap date ever. Thank you for being our down-to-earth, suburban, predominantly Italian-American cousins. To show our gratitude, we've got something for you. No, not baked ziti -- cell phone plans without annual contracts, so you're not locked in. And with no annual contract, you're free to move between our other plans. Like you would on a bridge or ferry."

One S.I. resident told a reporter, "That's dumb. Put dumb in big letters, For that comment, I'll stick with AT&T." And clearly those are fighting words, because AT&T (you know, the new AT&T, the old Cingular) sucks.

Even though Havas McKinney is based in North Carolina, Virgin Mobile folks in NYC helped with the campaign, even asking for suggestions. The Kensington Blog had a funny take on how a Kensington-specific ad would be worded.

Photograph by x-eyedblonde on Filckr

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By Jen Chung in News on June 11, 2007 5:54 PM

Comments [rss]

jalabi

Good: the ads are striking a nerve and making people talk about Virgin Mobile's new contractless phone service -- which is the main point of the adds.

Bad: people getting all bent out of shape about a lame ad campaign run by clueless out-of-towners (from NORTH CAROLINA, fercrissake).

Good: some of the ads I've seen are pretty funny (like the two in the photo above).

Bad: some of the ads stink (like the "Do or Die" one for Bed Stuy).

Good: I hate the idea of being beholden to Sprint or AT&T for two years at a stretch, so I will probably get a Virgin Mobile phone and sign up for one of those el cheapo rate plans that these ads are advertising.

guest

That Queens one might be the worst.

anzelina

Uh, the entire borough of Queens only got one ad?

There is more than one neighborhood in Queens, idiots.

guest

There is a "Park Slope, You Rule" one as well. Located at 7th avenue and Park Pl. on a bus shelter.

guest

they should get that parks dept. idiot to write one on greenpoint.

guest

There's one of these at a bus stop around 98th or 99th and Lexington also. "Upper Upper East Side, You Rule." It talks about young professionals and their apartments and whatnot, and it's right in front of a project. Idiotic.

Tim N.

So some ad guy drives across the SI Expressway and thinks, Hey, I've got an idea. It being a new sensation, he was probably so overwhelmed that he never bothered to look at it again to see that it was pretty friggin' stupid.

IOW, it would be more offensive if it wasn't so dumb.

jimmylegs

the bed-stuy one is pretty lame.

guest

I'm Italian American and that ad is not offensive at all. Who gives a 5hit? Honestly people, is this news?

smoaky

I don't think these are going to get anyone to buy virgin phones, but they are pretty funny, playing on stereotypes, especially the one about SI. The one for the Upper West Side is pretty boring and harmless, but thats not so far from the truth.

nycblonde

They definitely need to study their New York geography. The telephone booth ad on my corner tells me I live in Murray Hill "right in between Gramercy and Kips Bay". I live in the mid-20's which can probably go either way for Kips Bay or Gramercy, but the last time I checked both were south of Murray Hill.

Aristocrat

I hate the "Borough/Neighborhood" themed ads, but I like the one above.

guest

I've never had a problem with my AT&T service.

Just sayin'.

guest

I think these are the best ads ever. The one for six and bleeker explains why I love living there perfectly. I would put it up on my wall, and make visitors read it so they understand how amazing that specific intersection is. If you don't get it, maybe your too old.