When Adams Outdoor Advertising was lobbying the City for permission to place a digital billboard on the edge of town, facing 94, they said it would be a good thing for us. Not only would they be paying rent, they said, but we could use the massive billboard to positively promote the city to the tens of thousands of motorists who passed on the highway each day. They didn’t, of course, mention that, a few years later, they’d be using it to make jokes at our expense.
And that’s apparently what happened yesterday, when Adams general manager Todd McWilliams gave the go-ahead to their art guy to put up images up with the following tag-lines inspired by the so-called Ypsi Pooper: “Do your civic doody, report the pooper,” “Help us flush the pooper,” and “Help us catch the poopetrator.”
“Our art guy had a lot of fun,” said McWilliams, who also shared with the Daily Dot that he had to turn down a few of the more objectionable ones that were suggested.
I suppose we should just be thankful that they didn’t put up a “Home of the Pooper” billboard.
It’s been a huge hit for Adams, getting coverage on sites like Deadspin and Gawker, and I’m sure that McWilliams and his team are feeling pretty good about themselves right now. Unfortunately, though, we’ve still got a local deviant who’s shitting on, and possibly fucking, a play structure outside a local elementary school. And, as hilarious as some people might find the thought of children playing in the feces and ejaculate of the mentally ill, a lot of us appreciate it for the health and safety risk that it is.
For what it’s worth, when asked about the sign today, City Manager Ralph Lange told MLive, “We’re not authorizing it and we don’t need it.” Of course Lange would have told McWilliams that, had he called and asked how they could help. This was never about helping, though. This was about demonstrating the effectiveness of outdoor advertising, not about protecting our kids, or apprehending this person.
The text in the black box above, by the way, is from the Adams Outdoor Advertising company handbook. I’m not suggesting that anyone from the company lose his job over this, but clearly this was a stupid call on their part, and I think they owe the city an apology. It’s one thing for the assholes at the New York Daily News to trivialize this. It’s another altogether, though, to have a media company in partnership with the City broadcasting it from public property.
Also, for what it’s worth, our Police Department today announced that they have a person of interest in the case. Here’s their update.
The Ypsilanti Police Department continues to investigate the health & safety issue of the defecator in Prospect Park. We are investigating a person of interest possibly involved in these incidents. We will be not be providing any further information, as the case is still open and active. Any information relative to the case can be directly forwarded to us here at the police department. Thank you for your cooperation. -Lt. Deric Gress,Ypsilanti Police Dept