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Suspicious Package Alert part of Marketing Campaign?

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

'Suspicious Packages' That Paralyzed Boston Part of Cartoon Network Marketing Campaign

BOSTON, MA: A suspicious package alert that shut down downtown Boston Wednesday afternoon was actually part of an elaborate marketing campaign by the Cartoon Network to spark interest in its "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" show.

After state and local officials said they were launching an investigation into a series of "suspicious packages" found around the city, the Cartoon Network released a statement saying the packages were magnetic lights that pose no danger.

"They are part of an outdoor marketing campaign in 10 cities in support of Adult Swim's animated television show Aqua Teen Hunger Force," the statement said.

"They have been in place for two to three weeks in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards. We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger."

Some of the images left on the devices were in the form of characters called "Mooninites" from "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," which is a show on the "Adult Swim" block of adult programming shown on the Cartoon Network. The show is an animated comedy about three detectives in the shape of human-sized food products that live together in a rental house in New Jersey. -- Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,249110,00.html

* After learning of the above announcement, ERRI counter-terrorism analysts said: "Decidedly...NOT FUNNY." "We don't know who dreamed this one up, or what they were thinking...but somebody should pay for all the disruption and fear they caused the people of Boston," another analyst added.