Boycott Pioneer Electronics
Pioneer Electronics was once a respectable electronics company that produced innovative products. Motorists have long enjoyed their car audio systems and up until some years ago, no one thought anything about it. Pioneer now produces car audio systems so loud that it can be heard and felt a block away.
The pounding bass noise can travel through walls and rattle windows. It has become a serious urban blight in many neighborhoods. Some people can't sleep at night in their own homes because of the noise.
Defy, Disrupt, Disturb, Ignite
Pioneer Electronics hired Omnicom's BBDO West to produce its marketing campaign called 'Defy, Disrupt, Disturb, Ignite'. We only need three words to describe it: 'Disgusting, Anti-Social, Irresponsible'. We could offer further commentary, but the trade magazine AdWeek said it best when reviewing their campaign:
"Even anti-social numskulls have plenty of discretionary income to spend. The ad prompts a reader to feel that Pioneer is part of a life that's more exciting than the version he's currently living. Actually, "reader" may not be quite the right word, since each ad in the series carries a one-word text - the likes of "Defy", "Disrupt" and "Disturb." This presumably won't overtax the target audience's patience for reading, while the sense of the words assures these guys (accurately or otherwise) that they have a big effect on those around them."
"The look of the ads seems rather gloomy, but I'm willing to believe that tuners will instead see it as conveying an air of menace - something to which they themselves may aspire. In sum, the ads give these guys a sense of importance, and they'll feel disposed to reward Pioneer for doing so."
Pioneer "Disturb"
Pioneer Electronics A thug-marketing video titled Disturb. A boomer talks about spending half of his inheritance money to purchase car audio equipment costing $30,000. Another brags about how his boom car sets off car alarms and once caused a little boy to cry in the middle of the street.
Good Corporate Citizens?
Pioneer Electronics claims to be good corporate citizens. So much so, they take special accomplishment for the construction of the Virtual Resort at Disneyland. Located in the Innovation Building in Tomorrow Land is a booth where you can "experience a near future vacation". We guess they are planning to construct a Boom Car Pavilion where visitors can experience what it's like to experience urban blight.
Pioneer Electronics and its employees are also deeply committed to the environment as well. Their position statement reads: "As the Pioneer Group works towards its group concept of 'Move the heart and touch the soul,' we, the entire group and all its directors and employees, will move forwards as leaders in the creation of new markets, and in doing so we will earn the trust and respect of society through our actions as highly ethical, good corporate citizens."
Perhaps we misunderstood Pioneer Electronics.