Oxidized Advertising?

I had the rare experience of seeing the same car twice in the same day. And no, it wasn't my neighbor Pat either. In fact, I had to take my dog to the vet the other day and spotted this particular vehicle on the way to the Dr. Adam's office and then saw the very same car on my way to meeting my wife for lunch three hours later.

"Why does this car stand out?" you may be wondering.

For one it had a professional-looking vinyl decal on the back window most likely advertising the family business. In truth, the business advertised is a great concept which is a kid's fitness center. When I was growing up my fitness routine consisted of pedaling my butt to my friend's house or throwing the football in front of the house, no need for a fancy gymnasium or rock climbing walls required.

What most stood out about the mobile billboard is that the paint on both the roof and trunk was oxidized to the point of the clear coat looked like the surface of a dry, salt lake on a layer of otherwise smooth, black paint. Much like the example below:


Source: www.turboninjas.com

When I laid eyes on this car I looked at the ad and thought great job on the tax write off and obviously the car was paid off (a mid-'90's Acura Legend with a wax job 5 years overdue). To me image is everything and I personally wouldn't want my nieces scampering around this person's indoor playground. I mean: If you can't take care of your car how is your business run? It wasn't like the car was twenty years old, and the community I live in is has a reputation of affluence (trust me, I am somewhat out of place here). Are there rats running around the facility or a general lack of cleanliness rich with bacteria waiting to cause illness to the next child that grabs hold of the rings. My '69 Karmann Ghia's paint job is probably five years older and is holding up much better considering that it's been weathering the elements in Northern California and hasn't been driven in over a dozen years. There's little sign of oxidation on my VW, but rust has shown its ugly face. I certainly wouldn't plaster my name on the car in such a state but that's another blog topic.

Have you seen terrible examples of mobile advertising that make you think twice about frequenting the establishment or calling, or make you wonder if the advertiser is aware that their name is being soured by poor marketing decisions? Send me your examples.

DWD: 39, Miles: 2098. The Fit survived a trip to San Diego this weekend. Theory: Less surface area equals less odds that door edge(s) and sheet metal make contact. Or does a purple car demand respect?