Company Looks to Etch Advertising on the Moon
Written by Nancy Atkinson
A new company is looking to sell advertising on the Moon. No, not with giant billboards, but by a new technology called Shadow Shaping that can creates images with robots that carve small ridges in the lunar dust over large areas that capture shadows and shape them to form logos, domains names or memorials.
"Never in the history of advertising has the possibility of penetrating every market on Earth, reaching every person on the planet, and touching them at emotional level only possible with the beauty of the moon on a starlit night, been made available," says the website for Moon Publicity. "Twelve billion eyeballs looking at your logo in the sky for several days every month for the next several thousand years."
Bid now for this exclusive ad space, starting at $46,000 (USD).
Image from Moon Publicity's website.
Isn't this going a bit far, proposing to change the face of the Moon? The Moon Publicity people say they are doing this for the benefit of mankind.
"Advancements in space robotics as a result of Shadow Shaping, will aid in the colonization of outer space, helping preserve mankind from the inherent dangers of placing all of our species’ eggs in one basket, planet Earth. Any number of catastrophic events could end human life on Earth: Pandemics, collisions with comets or asteroids, weapons of mass destruction, supercollider accidents, environmental changes, hypernova radiation or the expansion of the Sun."
"If shadows form a logo during a quarter moon, it will be a small price to pay for saving mankind."
The website goes on to say that creating images on the Moon provides a commercial incentive for turbo charging space travel technology. "Shadows are only the beginning. These advancements will eventually place robots on other worlds building space stations and planting crops."
Hmmm.
Source: Space Coalition Blog
Filed under: Moon
Tags: MoonRelated stories on Universe Today
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July 24th, 2009 at 9:03 am
It will be a sad day if this happens.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Anybody remember Isaac Asimov's short story, "Buy Jupiter"?
July 24th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Last year it was laser-light advertisements on the moon.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Ya, let's destroy the one thing we haven't managed to yet. Just what I want to see when I look at the moon, an ad for Viagra. People really don't understand how stupid some of these ideas are.
July 24th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Where are D.D. Harriman and George Strong when you need them?
July 24th, 2009 at 9:39 am
Have these guys looked up?
The Moon actually looks rather small to the unaided eye. Do they really think they'll be able to draw anything visible without reshaping the whole lunar disc?
Or maybe they imagine everybody walks around with binoculars and pocket telescopes to see the latest spam someone posted in the great billboard on the sky?
The only good thing about this is that the sheer impracticality of the project will quite effectively kill it in the craddle. And perhaps further emphasizing the urgent need for clear rules on what can and cannot be done in space. Someone needs to step up and put some kind of leash on these nutters.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Only a really stupid American could dream up such an completely idiotic idea. (These jerks are from Utah – what more do you have to say!)
Who actually owns the Moon, eh? Really the U.N. has clear rules about this. The rest of the world won't stand for it!
It is no wonder much of the world despises you guys!
July 24th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Let's not go there. Imagine a time 10 million years from now when the only thing we built that is still left is a Coca-Cola advert etched onto the moon. I mean if we do something like this at least make it a proof of the Fermat conjecture. If intelligent life comes about in 20 million years they can at least see that we did something worthwhile.
Lawrence B. Crowell
July 24th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Reminds me of the Tick.
July 24th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
I'm going to etch my logo into the faces of the staff of the company who thought this up!
July 24th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
"Only a really stupid American could dream up such an completely idiotic idea. (These jerks are from Utah – what more do you have to say!)
Who actually owns the Moon, eh? Really the U.N. has clear rules about this. The rest of the world won't stand for it!
It is no wonder much of the world despises you guys!"
Stupidity is rampant in this world, not just America.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Marketing space is a good idea, even if we wouldn't be interested in going there.
And advertising on the Moon is feasible, it will be somewhat legible. Of course it's a better idea to advertise over larger patches of sky, but then you need different and probably harder to develop technique.
But these guys are either loonies, nincompoops or pledging to the least common denominator:
They forgot to list that the Mayan calendar will destruct Earth 2012.
July 24th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Is there anything the ponytails from marketing aren't willing to poison and corrupt? Fortunately, this idea is not feasible and won't work.
July 24th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
…I shall work all my life and save every penny I earn, just so I can pay them to draw a giant dong on the moon!
Actually I don't like this idea on two levels. First, who wants to deface the moon with company logos and have to see that every night?
Second, someones bound to write a law against defacing the moon. Which would stub the toe of any true lunar developer in the future. Preventing roads or buildings from being made because they change how Luna looks.
We don't need either hassle.
July 25th, 2009 at 12:37 am
Its plain WRONG. Changing the physical condition of something like moon which has incredible scientific value is wrong.
Put aside the fact that its a scientific history book, come on…. advertising ?
July 25th, 2009 at 4:02 am
Is this a scam, or just a plain joke?
I notice their website archives start April 2009.
Anyway, they should check their science.
"hypernova radiation or the expansion of the Sun": that will take some time to get out of the way from, the Moon might not be far enough.
July 25th, 2009 at 4:46 am
Ridiculous!
Of course, this is all just a publicity stunt by the company…as from above the public response, its never going to be happen or be allowed.
This is a silly company, with an even more silly person that came up with the idea.
John
July 25th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Reminds me of a Red Dwarf Book by Naylor & Grant.
In the book a soft drinks company spells out the word COKE in Earth's sky by destroying 20 or so stars and their respective solar systems.
I hope for our sake there are no advanced lifeforms in the intergalactic advertising business.
July 25th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Browsing through the Moon Publicity site, it's difficult to take these people seriously enough to even be concerned. I do, however, find this statement rather disturbing:
"For example, commercial space development can take the place of governmental space development to a degree, freeing up federal funds to better deal with humanitarian and social issues."
While I am not uniformly against commercial space development, I immediately resent any suggestion that 1) connects lunar graffiti to legitimate Space development, and 2) implies that Space-focused tax dollars are not in humanity's interest, yet commercial-focused lunar graffiti profits would ultimately ease the woes of mankind.
How Absurd!
July 25th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Obviously we Need Space Regulations to eliminate such insane ideas and firms!
July 25th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Thanks to all who have posted a 'thumbs down' on this idea!
July 25th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
No….just….no.
This sounds like something Lex Luthor would do. It's just evil.
KAAALLL-ELLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!
July 25th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
You indignant guys have just been RICK ROLLED.
July 26th, 2009 at 12:42 am
most absurd thought.. what's next? foreheads of political leaders constantly appearing on media.
July 27th, 2009 at 7:21 am
Someone needs a punch in the mouth.
July 27th, 2009 at 9:59 am
It could write:
DON'T PANIC!
This will never happen, it's a crock. All it will take is one little rock and the thing would flip over…
July 28th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I sincerely think this is not very serious.