"Life's Short. Get a divorce." Chicago Billboard Raises More Than Eyebrows

In a case of borrowed-interest advertising, a Chicago law firm specializing in divorce cases decided to generate some publicity by posting what is being called a "racy" or "risque" billboard along Chicago's Rush Street.

Between the muscle-toned torsos, the billboard proclaims, "Life's Short. Get a divorce." And when we say "muscle-toned torsos" we mean the busty chest of a woman and the six-pack abs of a guy.

Now that's how you should sell attorney services!

At first glance it looks like an ad for a health club. No, wait, maybe a Viagra ad. No, its for a law firm. Hum.

In reveiwing news articles by UPI and in the Chicago Sun Times, most of the hub-bub seems to be around the photos being "risque"--come on, and how it must be intended to convince you to leave your spouse--ya right. And, how it is tarnishing the reputation of attorneys--too late.

To me, the real offense is just bad advertising. Borrowed-interest messages may generate a little ink, but at the end of the day what's remembered is the gimmick, not the sponsoring brand. In fact, most articles on this topic don't even mention the name of the law firm which put up the ad. Although one of the attorneys for the firm did get her picture in the Sun Times (see image above).

Comments

[PZR]

I’m surprised people used words such as “racy” and “risqué” to describe this creative concept. I would have called it “shallow” and “jaded.”