Take a cluster of cubesats, shoot them into orbit, outfit them with sunlight reflecting mylar sails, and spell out PEPSI.
Yes, they are working on it.
A Russian company called StartRocket says it’s going to launch a cluster of cubesats into space that will act as an “orbital billboard,” projecting enormous advertisements into the night sky like artificial constellations. And its first client, it says, will be PepsiCo — which will use the system to promote a “campaign against stereotypes and unjustified prejudices against gamers” on behalf of an energy drink called Adrenaline Rush.
Typical reactions toward the idea are as cool as interstellar space, for example when discussed on futurism's forums individuals opined
“This startup made an AI read every dystopian fiction novel and is turning its cursed ramblings into business plans,” wrote one. Another said that “shooting down those ads should be legal.”
StartRocket has now successfully tested the idea out by launching one of their reflectors from a helium balloon into space where it was visible from the ground.
StartRocket plans to launch the system into orbit in 2021. It’s currently raising funds, it says — and a $20,000 investment will buy eight hours of advertising in the night sky.
Hopefully we can use them to project the Milky Way so people can see the stars again.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:12AM (6 children)
This will be bad publicity for Pepsi.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:19AM (2 children)
Is this being funded by Coca-Cola?
The Cola Wars move to space.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by zoward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @10:36AM
They wouldn't be doing themselves any favors if they did. They'll be tarred by the same brush Pepsi is. People are already sick and tired of advertising overreach, and Coke is as bad as Pepsi in this regard.
(Score: 2) by GreatAuntAnesthesia on Tuesday April 16 2019, @02:23PM
COKE ADDS LIFE
(Score: 2) by takyon on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:25AM
We'll get to tell our descendants about the Pepsi Riots.
This tactic might work better for lesser known stuff. Add a few dozen more CubeSats and you could spell out a short domain name + TLD.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @08:23AM (1 child)
This.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @11:48AM
Compile a list of all common brands owned by Pepsi such as Aquafina. This should suffice [wikipedia.org]:
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:27AM (2 children)
and spam. All for getting fat ass Yanks to guzzle even more calories. What's not to love?
(Score: 4, Funny) by c0lo on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:30AM (1 child)
You know what's even better? It's still the Russians trolling US, using US'es very own rules of the game!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:46PM
You know what's even better? It's still the Russians trolling US, using US'es very own rules of the game!
Can't wait for it to get hacked to display live Putin/Trump porn for all the world to see. Just imagine what the children will ask: why is the rain so warm today mommy?
(Score: 5, Insightful) by ilPapa on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:46AM (1 child)
I hope the human race becomes extinct before we have orbiting billboards. It might be time.
You are still welcome on my lawn.
(Score: 3, Funny) by takyon on Tuesday April 16 2019, @05:53AM
Better yet, we could have the first constellation cause the extinction. Display a politically insensitive message over the nuclear-armed country of choice.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by realDonaldTrump on Tuesday April 16 2019, @06:30AM (1 child)
But, hopefully they can speed that one up for us. And, they're doing the Pepsi campaign. So, I assume, they're doing the colors of Pepsi. The magnificent Red, White and blue. We want the same colors and I think there may be a deal in there. Where, they're putting up those colors for Pepsi. And they don't have to put up new colors for us. Don't have to change the colors. Costs them less money so they can give us a break on the price, right? Something we can talk about. KAG!🇺🇸
(Score: -1, Spam) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @09:23AM
Why do you hate America?
(Score: 5, Interesting) by sjames on Tuesday April 16 2019, @07:04AM (3 children)
Hack the cubesats, display a few really offensive messages, then de-orbit the lot of them.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Tuesday April 16 2019, @07:24AM
LOL.
In Soviet Russia, the Russians hack you.
just in case you didn't notice: "A Russian company called StartRocket"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 5, Informative) by zocalo on Tuesday April 16 2019, @07:31AM
Here's the thing though - remember a company called Swarm Technologies that launched a bunch of satellites [theverge.com] without permission? International treaties require that states are responsible for authorising what goes into orbit, and in this case that probably means Russia (unless StartRocket asks SpaceX or someone else to launch this crap). The question isn't whether StartRocket and Pepsi are dumb enough to think this is a good idea, it's whether Russia thinks the inevitable condemnation from the global scientific community, other governments, space agencies, and various other groups, is worth whatever they think they'll get out of approving it.
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
(Score: 4, Funny) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday April 16 2019, @06:09PM
For once, the sky is falling is the solution and not the problem!
(Score: 5, Interesting) by bob_super on Tuesday April 16 2019, @07:31AM (2 children)
I believe it's time to put those high-power experimental ICBM-zapping lasers to good use.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @07:04PM (1 child)
to point at floating mirrors...
(If only they were super-cooled and actually capable of deflecting the beam!)
(Score: 2) by edIII on Tuesday April 16 2019, @08:58PM
Spies Like Us [imdb.com]
It might not work out that well....
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by SemperOSS on Tuesday April 16 2019, @08:14AM (3 children)
If there is no convention or treaty forbidding that it is high time to create one! Common-sense-people of all countries, unite!
I sincerely hope this is a bad joke gone awry. I can just imagine this situation: "Mum, where is the North Star?" — "Can you see the Pepsi ad? Ignore the other ads. Follow the I from the add upwards and the first big star you see, just between the Coca Cola ad and the Dr. Peppers ad, is the North Star." — "Oh gee. Thanks Mum."
No thanks!
I don't need a signature to draw attention to myself.
Maybe I should add a sarcasm warning now and again?
(Score: 2, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @09:13AM (1 child)
If the killbots for our wealthy overlords don't quash us first, the entire night sky being filled with capitalist ads will finally spur on the next socialist revolution, when people realize they can't afford to eat or own a home, but some rich asshole can get their advertising plastered all over *SPACE*. Then again I might be underestimating human greed and stupidity and everyone will simply clamor to fuck over their neighbor in the hopes of someday having THEIR ad plastered all over the night sky. I finally really sad for the aboriginal/native groups of this planet. Can you imagine when the ones who haven't been contaminated by 'modern culture' begin seeing these things in the skies above them? Just wait for the religious pandering with crossing floating across the night sky or text messages stating 'God is watching you from above!'
This is the most depressing post I've sat and thought about since MDC passed. :( *raises a glass*
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @11:54AM
Aye. A nuclear apocalypse might just be the best thing that could happen for the planet. Life will go on. With some luck, the humans won't.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Tuesday April 16 2019, @10:19AM
This line makes me think it is: "campaign against stereotypes and unjustified prejudices against gamers." That sounds like a made up issue.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Tuesday April 16 2019, @09:28AM (2 children)
With lots of light pollution.
As such, there aren't very many stars visible on clear nights. I get to see a few stars, he Moon and occasionally Venus, but that's about it. I really like having those celestial objects visible to me in the night sky.
But I'd rather do without them altogether than have to see this garbage.
Perhaps someone can come up with (kind of like an ad blocker) a process to make the sky overcast when these billboards are supposed to be lit up.
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @12:47PM (1 child)
There's more to light pollution than one might think.
You mention the city.. and yeah, it's already lit up! Hard to see the stars, the moon seems MUCH dimmer than in rural areas. Especially ones far from the city.
So what does this mean?
Well.. to profit, you want this to be viewable from the city too. It's of little use to have this orbital evil, only viewable in the countryside. So it must be BRIGHT! And probably VERY bright.
But that means that in the country? It will probably be as bright, if not brighter, than the moon.
So there's the thing. Many, many animals use the moon for mating cycles, flocking cycles, all sorts of other things. And the ocean?
When I had a marine tank, I eventually decided to buy 'moon lights'. They track the actual cycle of the moon, in terms of brightness and 'when it is up'. And all of a sudden, out of no where, my fish tank became *alive* at night.
And when it was 'full moon'? All sorts of things started to spawn, creatures came out of nowhere, my tank suddenly had new life appearing, which before had either been dormant, or recently imported with new rock/coral purchases -- and would now reproduce successfully.
Even the corals became 'more alive' at night, and behaved in ways they did not before (many corals are actually 'animals').
Anyhow.
Point is.
What of all of this, with a NEW MOON in the sky. And one that doesn't even follow any 28 day cycle?
A lot of people depend upon fish. And fish depend upon many of the tiny critters I mention above! And those tiny critters eat algae, and so on.
This damned fool thing could literally screw up entire species!
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @01:38PM
Who cares? There's money to be made!
And there's nothing more important than that. amirite?
That's the problem with these damn libruls!
Ecosystems. Fah! Biodiversity. Bullshit!
All this regulatory red tape is just pinko socialist insanity. The FDA. A bunch of leeches. If I want to sell my super-duper cancer cure (now with even more polonium!) or my works-every-time baldness cure, and especially my DixBigger men's issue solution, I should able to do so without government interference. Let the market decide!
And all this ridiculous EPA regulation. Everybody needs more mercury and lead in their food and water anyway. Who are these bureaucrats to tell me I can't dump my battery acid into rivers? Pencil pushing morons! I'm a job creator, dammit! But noooo! I have to "safely dispose" of that stuff. What a bunch of ridiculous bullshit. That costs me money, you know!
And don't forget about those fascists over at the Department of Agriculture! Cleanliness requirements. Hah! I have to shell out for hair nets, soap and other cleaning supplies. Ridiculous! E-Coli? It doesn't exist. I certainly can't see it.
And don't even get me started on all the red tape involved in chemical manufacturing. With a river right next to the plant, why should I have truck the leftovers over to some "safe disposal" area? I'll tell you why. Because those thrice damned deep state scum are lining their pockets and that of their buddies, charging me to process the stuff. Ugh!
It's a wonder anyone can run a business in this country! Commie bastards!
We need to get rid of all this stupid regulation!
(Score: 3, Funny) by opinionated_science on Tuesday April 16 2019, @10:23AM
From the Red Dwarf novel "Infinity likes careful drivers" [spacearchaeology.org]
.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @10:25AM
... and we got orbiting billboards. #fuckyou, #Pepsi.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @12:09PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 16 2019, @12:50PM (2 children)
A company has to make you aware of its products and perform branding activity.
How else can you learn about all the wonderful products it has to offer you?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by DannyB on Tuesday April 16 2019, @02:21PM
They can put their products in a place where I want to buy them.
Advertising is a bad idea. It does not scale. Once at large enough scale it is a major problem. Ads everywhere. Billboards everywhere. Advertisers know no bounds nor any concept of self restraint.
This will lead to the sky being polluted with orbital billboards.
Clue: put your product in the place where I find it when I am looking for it.
DO NOT try to put ads in front of my face when I'm not asking for them. This does not scale. Just imagine for a second, if YOU were confronted with an ad from every single advertiser on planet earth -- all at once. All trying to get in the way of you doing what you need to do.
And I've posted a similar rant before here more than once: Advertising destroys every medium it ever touched.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 17 2019, @06:22PM
I present to you exhibit one, the internet.
The prosecution rests.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday April 16 2019, @02:18PM
What harm could one little advertising platform cause?
Similarly, what harm could one little unsolicited commercial email (aka "spam") cause?
If one company can put up an orbital billboard, why can't 10 companies? Or 100? Or 10,000?
Does this idea work at scale?
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by All Your Lawn Are Belong To Us on Tuesday April 16 2019, @02:50PM
Iridium flares last only seconds, and only work when the conditions are right (after sunset/before sunrise but only where the Sun is reflectable, not deep night), and the flare only casts a beacon over a certain area of the earth. The flares, though, are accidental and not intentional behavior. (And supposedly the next generation of Iridium flares far more dimly).
These folks can steer their sats for maximum reflectivity, but they still don't get a 24-hour or even an all-night pass. If they're geostationary they only get those dusk/dawn windows; if they're not station-keeping then the period would last only as long as the constellation is visible from horizon to horizon as it keeps chasing the Sun (minutes only). Nor do they get to blanket half the world with just one constellation of satellites, though that brings little comfort if they choose a major city to do it over as the target region. Given the limitations I'm surprised if they can get the funding. But you never know.
I'm catching a whiff of Mars One shenanigans... at least I hope I am.
This sig for rent.