Excessive Advertising

By Ryan Shrout

Six Flags has recently taken corporate sponsorship to a disgusting new level. They have completely wrapped the trains of some of their rides in product billboards. Everything from Stride Gum to Axe Bodyspray advertisements are being plastered onto coaster trains.

One of the worst things about this, in my opinion, isn't so much that the new trains look hideous (though they do), but that they are destroying the theme of these rides. Ninja at SFStL and and Demon at SFGAm have been wrapped in Stride Gum adds giving the appearance of running what are being referred to as "clown cars."

A rainbow colored Ninja just doesn't sit right with me, nor a bright happy Demon. Kingda KA for some strange reason has an add for this summer's Karate Kid movie. And SFoT's Shockwave has been transformed into a poster of Axe Twist.

And even though there are some of these rides whose sponsor fit the theme, such as Georgia Scorcher being wrapped in an add for Georgia Natural Gas, or SFMM's Ninja getting the Karate Kid treatment, I think this sets a very unfortunate precedent.

Is Six Flags perhaps headed the way of Blackpool Pleasure Beach and their Pepsi Max Big One? Will the new rides introduced for the chain's 50th anniversary carry names like The McCoaster, Starbucks: the Ride, or Snickerizer? Its the logical next step.