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Help Wanted:
Burton's Parody Ad in USA Today Pays Off
by Sean O'Brien
2 /22/99
Burton Snowboards scored a public-relations coup
on Friday, February 19, when the company took out a parody classified
ad in USA Today–prompting an extended article in that
day’s USA Today Sports section.
The ad, which spoofs the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) and the scandal surrounding the 2002 Winter Games
in Salt Lake City, Utah, highlights Burton’s continuing worries
about the Olympic snowboard-team selection process and the inaccurate
impression IOC control is giving the public about the sport.
USA Today has a circulation of 2.5 million
and a readership of seven million, and claims it’s first in
the country in daily readers.
According Dennis Jenson, Burton’s director
of corporate development, the company also wanted the ad to appear
in The New York Times, but that newspaper refused to run
the ad.
"We had quite a bit of fun working on it [the
ad]," laughs Jenson.
What
The Ad Says
"Attention–Immediate opportunity
available for highly motivated Judges, Delegates, Officials, Organizers,
Demigods, Ex-Totalitarian Loyalists, or other willing participants
to work in fast-paced, exciting environment.
Responsibilities include staging of international,
for-profit events disguised as games for world peace. Must decide
where games are conducted, who gets to compete, and who gets to
win. Decisions should be made with blatant disregard for honesty,
integrity, and the self-determination of athletes. Compensation
based on experience finding scapegoats at will and answering to
no one. Benefits include free college tuition, real estate "advice,"
first-class accommodations, meals, travel, and firearms. Send resume
or call toll free: 800-881-3138. www.burton.com"
Haakonsen
Bails
The ad coincided with Burton team rider Terje Haakonsen’s
announcement that he would not compete at the Salt Lake Games, citing
how the recent scandal has solidified his opinion that the IOC is
"corrupt" and that it’s members are akin to "the
Mafia."
"[IOC President Juan Antonio] Samarach is
just going to fire a bunch of people, and make himself look good
in the process when we know he’s part of the corruption,"
says Haakonsen.
Haakonsen also boycotted the Nagano games as a
protest against the IOC and FIS.
Rekindling
The Issue
A 23-line ad in the Marketplace Today section of
the weekend edition of USA Today costs $1,610 ($70 per line).
But the price appears to be cheap compared to the benefits.
First and most importantly, the ad gave national
attention to the concerns many in our industry have about Olympic
snowboarding.
According to Jenson, these concerns are varied
and deep, and include many of the issues raised during the SIA lawsuit
against the USSA, the U.S. national governing body for Olympic snowboarding.
However, it also strengthen the public’s perception
that Burton is snowboarding’s defender of the flame: irreverant,
fun, and ready to give a sharp poke in the eye to the powers-that-be.
Not too bad for $1,610, eh?
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