How many traffic fatalities will this cause?

[theatlfan]

Apparently, the Hawks commissioned a f'ing Huge 3D replica of Paul Millsap and are hanging him on a billboard on 85N (rendition of plan). On top of advertising, the idea is that you can text to **DUNK to be connected to a recorded message of Paul Millsap offering ways to win prizes, etc. Has any one else been following this?

On a personal level, I'm a little ashamed on this. First, have everyone seen this thing by now? It looks like a cartoon. As a society, we can do some mean things when miniaturizing, but try to enlarge something and things turn ugly outside of a handful of exceptions (Lady Liberty being a big one - pun not intended). In that scope, I think the artist did a decent job, but the entire genre is just a bad investment - for advertising or otherwise.

Second, a billboard... on an Interstate... with stand out effects... really?!?! *Sigh*

Third, I just can't see encouraging anyone to text while on an Interstate... probably because I can be pretty cynical when it comes to the intelligence of the general public. Sure, it probably wouldn't matter the 2-3 hours per day where that thing is just stopped nor for the hundreds (or, hopefully, more) who just wait until they are stopped, but all it takes is the wrong bozo to think it was a great idea to do it now while doing 80 mph to spoil the fun for everyone. And honestly, who thinks there isn't some Atlanta driver who'll try exactly that?

Last and certainly not least, are we really advertising around Paul Millsap? I guess he is our AS and all, but still, UTH basically rejected him not a year ago and now he's the face of the franchise? I guess you can say the same for Kyle Korver and CHI, but at least you can play up Korver's uncanny good looks (haven't seen as many females swoon over a Atlanta professional athlete since Javy Lopez was around... I mean why not just have Korver's face next to the words "I'm 6'8" and makes millions. Call me @ **3PTS" - I'd bet there would be 10x the number of callers). It's like our logo should be a "Lost & Found" bin.

[reazun]

it looks good, and he is an all-star. Its good advertising. We dont have a superstar, we have an all-star. Just because we dont have a Lebron, Kobe, Dwight, or CP3 doesnt mean we should sit on our hands. Lets face it, when it comes to basketball, Atlanta fans suck. The owners spend a lot of money marketing a team in atlanta that seems to have little ROI compared to most teams. I appreciate their effort. Korver was not an All-Star, Milsap was. enough said..

However, I am worried about people texting while driving b/c of this.

[HMFFL]

I support any adverting the ownership does at this point.
The owners are making it about our All-Star, and not about other teams, which occurred during the past.

[Jamaaliver]

^Agreed, HMFFL. Makes me wonder about the front office's opinions of Paul. Seems unusual for a highly visible marketing campaign to focus on a new player who would be leaving the franchise in a matter of months.

You guys think this indicates that ATL looks at Millsap as an important piece moving forward?
Could this mean AL is indeed on his way out instead of Paul?

Is this an indictment against owenrship for their lack of support for players in past years?
(Has Hawks ownership advertised around Horford/Josh/JJ in past years? I haven't lived in ATL in quite some time.)

Is this an acknowledgement that attendance is indeed at an alarmingly low level this year, despite a likely playoff berth? You have to go back almost 10 years to find attendace numbers this bad. A highly visible ad campaign might be a last ditch effort to galvanize the fandom into actually paying attention.

I gotta say, all those nationally broadcast blowouts we suffer HAVE to have an effect our perception by the general public.