Corrections, Retractions...

An anonymous reader with an uncanny sense of how to write out derisive laughter on the Internet so it really hits home sent this comment in regards to my guerilla theatre action:

hahahahahaha, you even got the cell company wrong. it was US Cellular!

Thanks for that. Actually, I noticed my mistake a couple of days ago when I read the CTA Tattler's post on the whole phenomenon. I briefly considered editing my post for accuracy, but ultimately decided to leave it for two reasons. The first is that the quote I provided from the CTA Tattler accurately identified the cellphone company in question for me. The second reason is that I didn't really care which giant corporation was paying people to annoy me on my ride into work, just that a giant corporation was paying people to annoy me on my ride into work.

But I'd like to point out that my inability to recognize that it was U.S. Cellular on the train doesn't really demonstrate any failing on my part. It seems to me the whole purpose of advertising is to get people to easily recognize your company's product over that of your competitors and to make them think "Hmmm...I sure would like to find out more about that product." Which this "ad" failed to do on both counts. That's not my fault. That's U.S. Cellular's fault.

I send my apologies to Cingular Wireless. If any of the top brass who read my blog over at corporate headquarters felt slandered, please let me know and I will send you a cookie in recompense. And to my secretive commenter, thank you. If I were an actual reporter of some kind, that mistake would have been disastrous to my career. You are my hero, as I can only assume you are the hero to the many blogs you patrol for mistakes.

"Who was that snide masked man?"

"We may never know, son..."