Bumvertising
New twist on an old idea.
To rush-hour drivers, the beggars standing mute and motionless beside Seattle highway exit ramps may be a persistent nuisance or a sign of deep social ills. But to Ben Rogovy, they were an answer.
After scrambling to create an internet development business and engineer his own website for poker fans, Mr Rogovy had lots of ideas but little cash with which to advertise them. Then, while staring at a beggar’s cardboard sign, the light bulb clicked on.
“So much traffic goes by these sign holders, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if they could advertise themselves and me at the same time?’ ” A 22-year-old who was an economics major, Mr Rogovy packed his knapsack with cash, a few sandwiches and three professionally printed posters advertising his venture, PokerFaceBook.com.
Then he hit the streets. The idea was simple: pay beggars a few dollars to let him attach a glossy, green PokerFaceBook ad to their own signs, and drivers scanning the beggars’ rumpled, hand-lettered pleas would inevitably notice his.
Thus was born Bumvertising, a name Mr Rogovy has trademarked, and a concept that has suddenly won him a lot of attention.
“I was a little nervous when I walked up to the first guy,” he said. “I was expecting all kinds of questions, but the first thing he asked was, ‘Do you have any tape?’ He understood exactly what I wanted to do.”
Of course, beggar advocates are outraged, calling this exploitation. Erm… except that they’d be standing out there all day with a sign anyway, and at least this way they get food, water, and some cash. That’s not exploitation, that’s mutual benefit.
