McDonald's Poppy guerilla stunt might last forever as it's illegal to remove it

dabitch's picture
Posted by dabitch on 7. February 2012 - 17:57

Sean Click may have come up with the everlasting ad, as "it is illegal to pick, destroy, or dig up a California poppy" in California where this McDonald's logo appears on the side of a road. (California Penal Code § 384a actually this law applies to any plant, not just poppies.)

Yes, Sean's idea is a classic seed bombing* but with a twist, and the Next web calls it possibly official, but whether McDonald's bought this ad or not is still unclear. Either way, all you really have to do to get rid of this logo built out of the invasive species known as the California poppy, is to throw down more seeds of any kind, possibly remixing the perfectly executed logo into something like this.

* note, read the comments. This is a simple photoshop job, ie; spec work and not an actual seed bombing which would have been AWESOME
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Submitted by sport on 7. February 2012 - 18:55.
sport's picture

I call photoshop.

Submitted by AnonymousCoward (not verified) on 7. February 2012 - 20:06.
AnonymousCoward's picture

I'm saying Photoshop too. Looks like the wrong colour for California Poppies, plus there'd be a huge amount of maintenance involved to get them to stay in that shape. #alexforgothislogindon'thitme

Submitted by dabitch on 7. February 2012 - 20:30.
dabitch's picture

Well, it is a bit odd that he didn't link to the Google-map area where this can be seen "live" so to speak. That would have settled doubts right quick.

Submitted by Barlow2 (not verified) on 9. February 2012 - 17:37.
Barlow2's picture

Google map doesn't help because it is photoshop!!! It's obvious!

Submitted by mae | custom sticker printing services (not verified) on 10. February 2012 - 0:43.
mae | custom sticker printing services's picture

Right guys, I say this is about a little bit of photoshop tricks. No wonder why we can'f find them on Google maps.

Submitted by kidsleepy on 10. February 2012 - 17:22.
kidsleepy's picture

California Poppies are all kinds of colors, including yellow. So the idea conceivable.
But it's spec.

And I have three reasons for this opinion:

1. Poppies are notoriously fickle. Last year in Southern California, only 30% of the Antelope Valley Poppy reserve bloomed.

2. They don't actually bloom until spring at the very earliest, or summer. So unless this was done two years ago, or the designer has the ability to time travel....

3. From wiki: "A common misconception associated with the plant, because of its status as a state flower, is that the cutting or damaging of the California poppy is illegal. There is no such law in California, outside of state law that makes it a misdemeanor to cut or remove any plant growing on state or county highways or public lands... (Cal. Penal Code Section 384a) California Penal Code (at FindLaw)."

Submitted by dabitch on 10. February 2012 - 19:06.
dabitch's picture

I think that confirms it. This is simply a photoshop job, done with GoogleMaps-like buttons on the site to allude to it being real, without actually linking to the maps spot confirming it.

Spec work that got a lot of attention though, so I guess it did its real job. ;)

Example of the attention
Inhabitat New Seed Bomb McDonald’s Ad is Illegal to Remove Because It’s Made of Protected Poppies
Foodista Guerrilla McDonald's California Poppy Ad is Illegal to Remove
The Daily What
This Might Not End Well of the Day
In women we trust: Seed Money: The Growing of McDonald Poppy Ads

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