September 10, 2002
NEW YORK CITY, NY

With the one-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11 looming, many companies are turning to advertising agencies to convert Jingoistic patriotism into big bucks. Using images from last year's events like chum, they hope to bring recession-stricken Americans into stores to spend valuable funds.

Leading the charge in this post-9/11 advertising revolution is New York based Keck, Paris, and Vallor Advertising. Having sold their idea to companies liked Microsoft, Tag Heuer, Palm, Gap, Evian, Cartoon Network, and Tommy Hilfiger, they are poised to generate up to $8 billion in revenue for their clients. Allan Keck, president of the advertising agency, unveiled the sure-to-be controversial ads yesterday at a press conference on the streets near Ground Zero.

“These images are burned into people's mind. Now if we can associate a product or name brand with those powerful images, people can't help but think of the brand when they see or think about the images. It's pure brilliance, and I'm glad that we could be a part of it,” Keck said.

The ads as presented by Keck, Paris, and Vallor Advertising for Microsoft Flight Simulator, Expedia.com, Tag Heuer, Palm, Gap, Evian, Cartoon Network, and Tommy Hilfiger (Click on images to see larger versions).

Not to be out-done, Santa Barbara based Outrageous & Edgy Commercials, Inc. most known for their Nike condom commercial which aired at the 2000 Super Bowl, released their own series of 9/11 themed magazine and billboard ads today for a client roster including top designers as Donna Karan, Dolce & Gabbana, Mugato, and monster corporation Proctor and Gamble.

The ads as presented by Outrageous & Edgy Commercials, Inc. for Donna Karan, Dolce & Gabbana, Mugato, and Proctor and Gamble's Tide Detergent (Click on images to see larger versions).

Speaking from the company's offices, Outrageous & Edgy Commercials, Inc. representative T.J. Hoffman commented on the possibility of negative reaction to their outrageous and edgy ads. “We're prepared for some amount of backlash, but like they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity. If we can get people to write letters, phone us, or better yet, come into our client's stores to voice their opinions, then we've achieved our goal – getting a response out of them. Besides, if they vehemently disagree with our campaign, then the terrorists win, and they're bad Americans. No one wants to be a bad American.”

How will America react to these new, in your face ads? No one can say, but one thing is for certain – if you don't go out and buy some new sensible and fashionable pants, you're a traitor to this great country.

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