Smoke From Outback Steakhouse Billboard Prompts Calls to 911 Wood-burning grill looks a bit too real
Billboards are on fire these days. Metaphorically, at least. In Ohio, a children's hospital sign was removed for being blasphemous (or something), and two churches used billboards to debate sexual orientation about 60 feet closer to God. In Wisconsin, a Grim Reaper scythed Packers fans. Now, Outback Steakhouse brings the heat with a sign on I-85 in Norcross, Ga., touting its wood-fire grilled steaks. Several motorists called 911 to report that the billboard had caught fire. In fact, it was just an illusion generated by smoke machines—i.e., a blaze just as authentic as the Australian accents heard in the chain's commercials. Alas, the burning you'll feel inside after scarfing down an Outback Ribeye probably does merit a call to emergency services.
- Cramer-Krasselt Beats the Odds to Keep Porsche
- Mayer Talks Tumblr Plans, Unveils New Flickr
- NBC Makes Bet on Fake Reality
- 67% of Smartphone Owners Would Rather See Ads Than Pay for Premium Content
- Can the Empire State Building Brand Its View?
- Bonnier Acquires Source Interlink's Motorcycle Titles, Sells TransWorld Group
- Ziff Davis Nabs NetShelter
- Young Tumblr Marketers Have Strong Advice for Yahoo
- Nutella Thanks Its Biggest Fan, Founder of World Nutella Day, by Sending Her a Cease-and-Desist
- The New York Times Reinvents the Boring Banner Ad
- Advertising Student Ships His Pants to Kmart's Agency, Lands Internship
- Pinterest Adds Advertiser-Friendly Features
- Introducing Beardvertising: Tiny Billboards That Clip on to Your Beard
- PETA's Incredibly Lifelike CGI Ape Begs You Never to Use Real Ones in Ads Again
- WPP Created One Big Digital Shop From 8 Smaller Ones
- 67% of Smartphone Owners Would Rather See Ads Than Pay for Premium Content
AdFreak is your daily blog of the best and worst of creativity in advertising, media, marketing and design. Follow us as we celebrate (and skewer) the latest, greatest, quirkiest and freakiest commercials, promos, trailers, posters, billboards, logos and package designs around. Edited by Adweek's Tim Nudd. Updated every weekday, with a weekly recap on Saturdays.


Email
Print







