Kuro5hin wonders about the seemingly endless trend of selling naming rights to buildings. The Los Angeles Lakers play in The Staples Center, the Super Bowl was played in Raymond James Stadium. According to the New York Times, visitors to the St. Louis Zoo this summer will be able to visit the Anheuser-Busch Hippo Harbor along with the Monsanto Insectarium.
Unlike some critics of this, I could care less whether or not the local zoo carries the name of corporations. What does puzzle me about this, however, is why corporations are pursuing these sort of sponorships.
The New York Times suggest that large corporations view it as a form of alternative advertising. If that’s the case they might as well blow their money on web banner ads — they’d probably be as effective.
Does anybody really watch a Lakers game and then feel a compulsion to shop at Staples? Or switch your investments to Raymond James because they paid millions to name Tampa Bay’s stadium?
Personally I think this is the latest advertising industry scam to fleece corporate wallets. Which means it’s time to get in while the getting is good.
I wonder if there isn’t an angle here for us poor independent web masters. For example, for a small donation I’d be more than willing to turn the Search page here into The McDonald’s Search page. Or how about the AT&T Article Directory?
This reminds me of people who were aghast at the recent spate of stars selling the rights for photographs of their wedding to tabloid magazines for six figures and up. Are those people insane?
Tell you what, for $100,000 my wife and I will have a completely new wedding providing XLF-style access and we’ll plaster corporate logos so extensively over the wedding and reception that even NASCAR fans will wince at the product placement.
Hmmm…anybody know how to contact Rupert Murdoch? Sounds like it would make a great Fox special.