will work for publicity?

Seeking to generate some creative buzz, Holland Mark Advertising recently paid a Boston panhandler $250 to appear in a self-promotional print ad some say is likely to stir up controversy.

The stark, black-and-white execution features the long-haired, gaunt street person, clad in windbreaker, jeans and a grubby hat, carrying a sign that reads, “Need money for liquor and handgun.”

Small type below the photo proclaims, “It always stops you. A simple message, said in a fresh way.