July 21, 2008
Virgin Mobile Pulls Back Racy Campaign
Virgin Mobile USA is now in damage-control mode after running an online ad campaign that encouraged people to disrobe for charity. The Wall Street Journal reports.
"A few weeks ago, Virgin Mobile launched "Strip2Clothe," inviting people to send videos of themselves undressing. For each video posted, it agreed to donate a new piece of clothing to nonprofit groups that help homeless youth. For every five views that a video gets, another article is donated. Its tagline: "Someone out there needs clothes more than you."
... In response to the outcry, Virgin Mobile is giving the campaign a facelift, renaming it "Blank2Clothe." Instead of taking their clothes off, viewers will instead be asked to do anything they want -- juggling, singing or standing on their heads, for example -- to trigger views and therefore, more clothing donations.
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