Thursday March 5, 2009
For Immediate Release:
For More Information Contact:
Ken Martin, KRM Consulting
804-342-1808
ALLTEL MOCKS AMUSEMENT RIDE SAFETY
Richmond, VA A Richmond television station (WWBT NBC) is airing Alltel’s latest commercial. The primarily computer generated commercial features their spokesperson Chad and an unnamed family. The setting is underneath a steel suspended roller coaster at an amusement park. The family members are seen gathering dropped items from the riders of the roller coaster as it passes.
Despite the heavily branded theme of the commercial, it shows and allows teenagers and adults access in a highly restricted area underneath the roller coaster. Roller coaster riders and other individuals have been seriously injured and killed while doing this type of activity.
The commercial not only promotes unsafe practices, it encourages individuals to take a chance for a reward. The commercial even shows how to perform this potential deadly error.
This is not the type of behavior of the vast majority of roller coaster riders. It also negatively portrays amusement parks as a place to take a chance or risk for a reward.
The amusement ride season is just around the corner. Thousands of people will flock to their favorite amusement ride for good entertainment with relatively little risk. Human behavior is the number 1 cause of injury and death on amusement rides.
# # #
