SILVER SPRING, MD – What was meant to be a simple Valentine’s Day message turned into a PR nightmare when the Maryland Depart of Transportation (MDOT) tweeted a picture today of a Purple Line train car alongside the words “Get Railed.”
“At first glance, it looked like a harmless ad asking people to support public transportation,” said Maya Washington. “But once I looked closer and saw the train entering a tunnel, I couldn’t unsee it.”
The advertisement was the second recent media embarrassment for MDOT after their “Stick It In Your Tailpipe” campaign to promote the latest vehicle emissions technology offended Montgomery County residents last Fall.
“First the Superbowl Halftime Show, and now this,” said Wilbur Thornton, 68. “When will everybody stop using sex to sell things and go back to the good old days of making guys look cool by having them smoke cigarettes?”
When asked for comment, MDOT officials apologized for the oversight and promised new procedures to better vet future promotional materials. An internal review has already been initiated for the department’s upcoming “Park It In The Rear” campaign to educate developers about permissible alternatives to loading zone laybys.
