What I didn't realize is that he's now working as an advertising manager for a Dutch company.
URL:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060424...HNlYwN5bmNhdA--

Text:
Dutch Co. Battles Mayor Over Ads on Sheep By TOBY STERLING, Associated Press Writer Mon Apr 24, 3:15 PM ET

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - A Dutch Internet hotel bookings company said Monday it is doing its best to make the mayor of a small town look sheepish after he threatened a 50,000 euro ($60,000) fine if the company doesn't remove advertisements on livestock in his district.

Hotels.nl began what it thought was a humorous campaign blanketing sheep with its logo along highways near Amsterdam, Leiden, Groningen and The Hague on April 1.

But when mayor Bert Kuiper in the northern town of Skarsterlan noticed the advertisements on sheep in his district near Groningen, he said they violated a local ordinance against advertising along freeways.

Hotels.nl Chief Executive Miechel Nagel said the company would respond by increasing the number of sheep it uses in Skarsterlan to 60 and changing the statement on their blankets to "Thank You, Mr. Mayor."

"Now it's a freedom of speech issue," said Nagel. He added the local economy also was getting a boost as farmers were being paid 15 euros to 20 euros ($18-$25) per sheep per month to wear the advertisements.

"Their value as lamb-kebabs is around 60 euros ($75)," Nagel said.

On April 10, Kuiper threatened the company with a 20,000 euro ($25,000) fine. When Hotels.nl, with annual sales of 70 million euros ($86 million), said it didn't mind paying, Kuiper upped the potential fine if the signs weren't removed by April 24.

"It's very creative and we're absolutely not cranky about this, but it has been our policy for years that we don't want advertisements along our roads," Kuiper was quoted saying by Dutch press agency ANP.

A receptionist for Skarsterlan's city offices said no one would be available to comment until Tuesday.

According to the ANP report, the mayor complained Hotels.nl was undermining the authority of local laws and he had started legal action against the company.

"What's next, cows and horses?" Kuiper said.

Nagel said Hotels.nl plans to distribute free horse blankets to 700 people in Skarsterlan bearing the company's logo if it loses the case. He estimated that 80 percent of the town would be willing to use the blankets and back the company, rather than the mayor.

The Hotels.nl campaign was conceived up by a company called "Lease-a-Sheep."

The idea of advertising on animals is at least several decades old, though it gained new attention in the dot-com era. Unusual campaigns — such as one by Internet casino Golden Palace to paint 100 cows purple in Florida in the summer of 2005 — can still attract attention.

Ice cream makers Ben & Jerry's caused surprise in the winter of 2004 by placing advertisements on human beings in Amsterdam. In that campaign, homeless people received a jacket with a Ben & Jerry's logo displayed prominently on the back.

In return, Ben & Jerry's donated money to a local charity that offers support for the homeless.

Although some criticized the campaign as exploitative, others praised the company for being willing to be associated with homeless people.

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On the kinkometer, my kink measures as a sine wave.

Lord forbid anybody undermine local authority in a way that is not a source of revenue to them.

Why do I think it would be within 'regulations' if it were taxable?

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Of course it's taxable. It's a commercial activity within the legal grasp of the money vampires. They only need to put eur1 per sheep per week levy on it that the farmer has to pay, or his sheep are impounded, and the whole thing goes away.

One great way to stifle the income for the farmer too.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

You mean ANOTHER great way to stifle the income for the farmer.

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Anyone who has ever traveled the highways around these parts has seen the barns painted with the "SEE ROCK CITY" logo, an enterprising entrapaneur came up with a great way to advertise his business by offering to paint farmers' barns for free as long as they didn't mind being used for commerce...I see no difference here, other than some mayor has some control issues...

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Plug me into somethin'

If the theory does not conform to the facts, then the facts must be discarded.

No good deed ever goes unpunished

Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level, & beat you with experience.

Hell no, it is demeaning the dignity of these noble ovine creatures without whom there would have been no "Shari Lewis and Lambchop", no favourite children's song and especially no velcro glove and gum-boot gift sets.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

I think that was the Mail Pouch Comapany, about a century ago.





I recall the an interview of the last barn painter when he retired. He had painted something like 20,000 barns (avarage 2 per day) over his lifetime.

Attached Images

MailPouch.jpg (118.3 KB, 221 views)

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