Fake parking ticket marketing by The Office in Hoboken, NJ
Got a boatload of emails from Hoboken411 readers about this “fake parking ticket” marketing effort put forth by copy machine center The Office located at 306 Washington St.
One reader said it was a bad way to advertise – and probably a violation of consumer fraud laws – and was a “good way to make me never go there.”
Even though it’s yellow – do you think it’s a good idea to even resemble a parking ticket?
Mark wrote:
“File this one under “marketing fail – how to piss off potential customers.” The Office copy shop on Washington Street printed up fake parking tickets and put them on windshields around town (attached).
Approaching my van this morning, I was fooled, recalling that my bumper was sticking out into the red zone and thinking that maybe Hoboken changed their ticket color.
Seeing that it was a fake (with a map showing their business location on the back), I can’t say I was too impressed with their creativity.
In fact, they just lost me as a customer.”
Ads on cars in Hoboken are illegal
Even more importantly – this is a blatant violation of city ordinance § 110-45 which states:
No person shall throw, cast or distribute, or place, or cause to be thrown, cast or distributed, or placed any handbill, circular, card or other commercial advertising matter whatsoever,
(1) in or upon any street or public place or
(2) in or upon a front yard or
(3) in or upon any vehicle or
(4) in the vestibule or hall of any building or
(5) in any place from which such matter may be blown by the wind onto a street or public place, or nor shall any person place or cause to be placed on any pole, vehicle or public sign any advertising matter unauthorized by the owner of the said pole, vehicle or public sign.
The minimum fine for this used to be $100 (max $1000), but the city – desperate for moolah – recently raised the minimum fine to $500 per instance.
Don’t you just love windshield tweets?
Hoboken NJ
