IN THE PIPELINE:

“Advertising is the rattling of a stick inside a swill bucket.”

— George Orwell

A few weeks ago my wife, who is not desperate, came home and told me about something she’d just seen, something that had bothered her. In the parking lot at the Vons on Edinger Avenue and Springdale Street were ads for the TV show “Desperate Housewives.”

When I say in the parking lot, I mean just that — the ads were actually laid into the parking lot stripes. They read “Parking for Desperate Housewives.” My wife didn’t like the idea of tacky-looking asphalt ads, nor that it promoted a show that obviously targets adult viewers in an environment where many kids are present.

I was automatically interested in this for several reasons:

1. That it affected Huntington Beach.

2. That it affected my wife.

3. That it involved advertising.

See, advertising is a big part of my life. For about 20 years I have created, written and directed hundreds (if not thousands) of commercials, print ads, billboards, etc. (I even voice the occasional spot — that’s me in the current Carrows Prime Rib commercial).

Many times I’m sure my work has annoyed you (Skip & Steve for Robbins Bros?). Other times I hope it has caused you to buy something you need. Either way, advertising issues automatically grab my attention and this one created a conundrum for me: Yes, it is getting harder for advertisers to reach consumers and so they have to be creative. But do these ads cross the line?

I spoke with a manager of the supermarket, and he said the powers-that-be at the store did not like the advertising at all, primarily because he was receiving too many customer complaints because the ads were for “Desperate Housewives.” The market has no control over the ads because the parking lot is a common area, which is frustrating for them — customers are agitated, and the store can’t do anything about it.

So I called Kimco Realty Corp., the property owner, who approved the ads (and also gets paid for running them). After leaving several (unreturned) messages I finally caught their public-relations person on the phone and was brusquely told the ads were to be removed Oct. 8 after the “one-month test” was over, but that workers had been delayed getting out there. She said all other information regarding complaints, etc., would need to be answered by the company’s East Coast office (who never returned my call.) Note: despite the Oct. 8 date and subsequent delay, the ads were still up as of this writing a couple of days ago.

Jodi Smith, a representative from Manhattan-based Alloy Media + Marketing, was far more helpful. ABC went to Alloy for help in finding some unique marketing opportunities for the show, and it was Alloy’s idea to tap the Colorado-based Parking Stripe company, who spearheaded the idea several years ago (the ads are actually strong-stick adhesives that are placed right on top of the painted stripe).

In addition to the stripe ads, which were placed at about 10 Southern California markets, Alloy brainstormed some other unconventional concepts too, including setting up pampering stations in the parking lots so shoppers could get a quick nail-polish change and a massage. (Why didn’t Huntington Beach get those?) The adman in me thinks Alloy is doing a great job for its client. But what do the customers think?

An informal poll I conducted in the parking produced split results. Some people found the ads to be clever and attention-getting. Others were put off by the message for “Desperate Housewives.” And a third group didn’t like the idea based on a couple of factors: First, that the ads junked up the lot and second that they were confusing (one woman veered away from the spots thinking they might be reserved for the disabled or some other reason).

I see all sides of this. Yes, it is a creative use of space. But new questions are begged. Is that message appropriate for all ages? Can R-rated movies be promoted, for instance? Also, is the environment safe? Do we want people reading the ground when they should be paying attention to an increasing number of woefully distracted drivers? And when does advertising become pure visual blight? Our houses are cluttered enough. Should our parking lots be as well? Are any environments safe (or sacred) from marketing messages? Because our viewing habits have changed, does that give advertisers the right to invade all free moments and spaces? At what point do you begin resenting the message and holding it against the sponsors?

When, as a consumer, do you say “enough”?

Advertisers today are becoming as desperate as the fictional housewives for whom they shill. All unused space is up for grabs, and, yes, it is a brave new advertising world. After their retirement, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays served for a while as greeters at legal gambling casinos and Commissioner Bowie Kuhn issued a ban against the men. Today, on the backs of my Angels baseball tickets, a casino is allowed to advertise (as well as on the stadium’s outfield wall). On the 22 East freeway is a sign announcing Garden Grove as a “Pepsi City.”

So where will all this lead? Will babies’ foreheads one day be tattooed with a paid-for logo? “I paid for his college when I sold space on his noggin!” How about stop signs “Stop for Taco Bell!” Will we see ads on houses, driveways, sidewalks, dogs, cats, coffins and tombstones? Laugh today, but 30 years ago, if anyone had said there would be ads on parking lot stripes

What do you think? Has advertising crossed the line? Post your opinion at In The Pipeline, www.hbindependent.com/ columns.

Have an old H.B. family photo for the new book Chris is working on, “Huntington Beach, Then and Now?” Write him at chris@chrisepting.com. If he uses it you’ll get a free-signed copy of the book!

CHRIS EPTING is the author of nine books including his latest, “Led Zeppelin Crashed Here, The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America.” He also hosts “The Pop Culture Road Trip” radio show on webtalkradio.net. CHRIS EPTING is the author of nine books including his latest, “Led Zeppelin Crashed Here, The Rock and Roll Landmarks of North America.” He also hosts “The Pop Culture Road Trip” radio show on webtalkradio.net.