Ad-Wraps

[RCF]

I'm sure most of you have noticed recently. Six Flags has been putting ad wraps all over coaster trains at such parks as Magic Mountain, Over Texas, Fiesta Texas, Over Georgia, Great Adventure and other parks. What's your opinion on this? Do you think they're going too far, or do you think it's a good idea?

Some pictures of said Ad Wraps:
Ninja at SFOG

El Toro at SFGA

Boomerang at SFFT

Shockwave at SFOT

And Ninja at SFMM

Thoughts?

In my opinion, I'm kind of split. It does seem a little too much, and it really makes the coasters look bad (some of them like El Toro *shudders*) but when you think about it, it's kind of a smart advertising plug. So I'm halfway.

 

[Ben]

That Toro one's done on photoshop as a LOL... please someone tell me that's done on photoshop as a LOL...

SOME are not THAT bad, and I'm not TOO against the idea, esepcially when they fit in colour wise, but, that Toro one... ****ing hell...

 

[Gazza]

Ugh, it looks like absolute ****, especially the El Toro one! Could they possibly be any more tacky?

I know in a few places I've read a people saying "It's a good idea, means more money for the parks etc", but there are plenty of parks that manage to be successful without resorting to crap like this.

Plus, at the end of the day it's a theme park, and advertising just detracts from the environment you are in.

 

[nealbie]

I'm assuming "Axe" is the dumbed down American brand name for "Lynx"? :roll:

 

[RCF]

^^^ It's not photoshopped as I know of. Some other parks have those same wraps *waits patiently for ECG to confirm this*
^^ And I somewhat agree as well.
^Maybe, I've never heard of "Lynx" so I wouldn't know

 

[nealbie]

Well if "Axe" comes in "Rise", "Africa" and "Chocolate" then I'm saying yes

 

[RCF]

You're correct

 

[CreditCrazy]

I'm getting tired of seeing "well, I guess it kind of fits in with the theme so it isn't too bad..." (Karate Kid on Ninja at SFMM, for example). Unless the ride is called Karate Kid: The Ride, it's not theme, nor does it fit in with the already existing theme. It's tacky, plain and simple.

I guess you could call it a creative idea to bring in more money for a chain that needs it, but I just have one question... Why do the ads have to go on the trains and in the stations? Do you really have to ruin some already existing theming?

 

[Snoo]

Probably the dumbest thing Six Flags has ever thought of.

 

[Error]

Probably the dumbest thing Six Flags has ever thought of.

Agreed.

When I went to SFoG, Mindbender had that on it for...something. It was crap.

Yup.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Ew, it makes me want to buy the product LESS.

I sure hope that Toro one isn't real.

 

[CreditCrazy]

Yeah.

 

[Snoo]

Wow. That makes me not want to ride Toro.. wow.. just wow.

 

[Ian]

Although they do ruin the look of the trains, if the sponsorship means more money for the park to invest and it doesn't alter the ride experince, then it doesn't matter imo.

Such sponsorship is becoming common place in the UK now.

There are a few examples of where it has been tastefully done so I'm really indifferent.

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

As much as I love bright colours, why did they have to chose an obnoxiously bright wrap for Toro, which is suppose to have like, a brown theme?

Stupid stupid stuipid. I'd paint my room like that, though .

 

[CMonster]

Although they do ruin the look of the trains, if the sponsorship means more money for the park to invest and it doesn't alter the ride experince, then it doesn't matter imo.

Such sponsorship is becoming common place in the UK now.

There are a few examples of where it has been tastefully done so I'm really indifferent.

I would agree, except these are obviously NOT tastefully done. You're right, it could be a good idea if done well. Too bad SF doesn't really care about atmosphere...

 

[Gazza]

and it doesn't alter the ride experince, then it doesn't matter imo.

But by that same notion, you could say that parks don't need to paint their rides (Any more than what is necessary for maintaining structural integrity that is) because even if a ride is all faded and looks crap, the ride experience won't be any different.

But that toro one really is awful, because the ride did actually have a bit of a 'look' going with the rustic/timber style trains beforehand.

Guess I just don't like this style of advertising in general..outdoor billboards are often an eyesore, and buses and trams with advertising wrapped around look **** too.

 

[Snoo]

Although they do ruin the look of the trains, if the sponsorship means more money for the park to invest and it doesn't alter the ride experince, then it doesn't matter imo.

Such sponsorship is becoming common place in the UK now.

There are a few examples of where it has been tastefully done so I'm really indifferent.

The revenue from this isn't going to be significant enough to really make a dent in the bottom line tbh. A few grand is pretty much all you're gonna get.. and in the grand scheme, is chump change, especially to a large chain such as Six Flags.

 

[Waffleman]

Surely what BPB have been doing for years is much worse than this?

But, anyway, I think if they did it to rides with theme or storyline it would ruin the atmosphere, but in this case it's not that bad.

I'm still against it though, simply because it's so cheeky and you don't want to feel like you're having brand names forced down your throat every time you look a coaster in a theme park, surely?

 

[madhjsp]

AXE would be better served just giving out free cans of the stuff to all the riders of Ninja at SFoG. It probably costs them about 10 cents per can and nobody rides that Vekoma piece of trash anyway.

Other than the El Toro one though, the rest of these don't exactly look bad. As long as that's the case, I'm not totally against the idea, since it seems like an easy way for the parks to make a little money. Also, I don't really care about the wraps ruining the theme of the ride, because most of the rides getting this treatment are just standard loopers, it seems. Not really very uniquely themed to begin with.