Sticker Shock

Not so long ago Egypt suffered horrible terrorist attacks on tourists. One attack, a bomb on a bus full of visitors to the Egyptian Museum, prompted the creation of an entirely new police force known as the Tourist Police. The heightened security has been fairly effective: tourism is at an all-time high (6 million per year) and there is a genuine feeling of safety in the streets of major Egyptian cities. So why, I ask, would Sony plaster cars with bumper stickers that say “This car may be Xploded!” to promote their line of so-hip Xplod! car stereo equipment? The stickers are everywhere. It isn’t unsettling so much as perplexing. Why don’t you give this campaign a try in Iraq, Sony? (And people wonder how this company can do something as stupid as sell an MP3 player than doesn’t play standard MP3 files.) Sheesh!