Pizza chain pays homeless people to hold its adverts

[swelegant]

http://www.ananova.com/images/web/58778.jpg

Andre Jehan, founder of Pizza Schmizza, a restaurant business in Oregon and Washington, said the homeless employees are being paid in pizza, soda and a few dollars to hold signs that are meant to be humorous.

They are being hired to hold signs saying, "Pizza Schmizza paid me to hold this sign instead of asking for money."

"I think it's a fair trade," said Peter Schoeff, a 20-year-old homeless man in Portland.

It's a similar move to the London ad agency, Cunning Stunts Communications Ltd, which recruited students to wear temporary tattoos on their foreheads while hanging out at bars or trendy stores.

But Gary Ruskin, director of Portland-based Commercial Alert, an advertising watchdog group founded by Ralph Nader, said homeless people are being exploited unless they receive the minimum wage.

"People don't want to get hammered with an ad every time they turn their head," he said.

"Most advertising is either somewhat of a lie or deceptive, and it's an assault on our attention."
From Ananova.

So even though they're shelling out very little money, Pizza Schmizza are giving the impression that they're generous nice people, which is often important to consumers and will most likely increase their customer numbers. Evil genius that is.

I wonder how long it will take for other street people to hold up blank cards saying something like "Your advertisement could be on this space"?

Does anyone else think that the guy with the mohican looks like Prince William?

[sbs]

Didn't appeal to my sense of humour! Can't decide whether it's shameless exploitation or not, I lean to the former though. It's definitely degrading to people who are at the bottom of the pile already, or is it worth it to get "free" soda and pizza?

Yes the chap does bear a passing resemblance to William Windsor and the thought of him living rough and being homeless for a couple of months is a great idea isn't it, go for it Wills, it'll do you good!

[Joe]

It seems a bit iffy to me to be honest. It's all very well being all kind and generous, but it seems if the homeless were desperate then they'd accept the offer whether they wanted to or not.

Would you eat from a place advertised like that? I don't think I would. :confused:

[Perdita]

If it's minimum wage or above, fair enough, though i think it's a fairly humiliating job because it reifnorces their status as outsiders.

Below minimum wage is shameful. That just further de-humanises the homeless, like they don't deserve basic employment rights. Stupid twats.

(the pizza company, not the homeless...):rolleyes:

[manic cow]

I'm not sure what I think about this to be honest. Is it better to be exploited and able to eat or unexploited and not able to eat? It's not like this is something that's harming them either, unlike the issue where homeless people were being paid to fight each other last year :(

Even if they are getting paid less than minimum wage here, it's better than nothing, surely? And it's not like they're likely to get paid anything by any other company, unless it's for selling the big issue, obviously, and I'm not sure if being paid by this pizza company would affect their ability to do that.


The pizza company could easily have just printed off a shitload of posters instead and plastered them everywhere, rather than paying to make the signs, then paying people to hold them as well. Granted, that wouldn't have given them a good public image, but it probably wouldn't have cost them as much, and at the end of the day, most people are more bothered by whether something is value for money rather than how moral the company selling it are.


I think to be honest in this case if it's helping a few people to be able to eat every day, then it's a good thing really. It's not like it's doing them any harm or making them do much to get the food/money either. I know in an ideal world all companies would just be friendly and give away food to homeless people, but let's face it, it's never gonna happen, and this is as close as we're gonna get as far as I can see.

[Void]

I think it's quite clever. I don't see anything wrong with it, as long as the company are treating it as a one-off joke and don't plan to make it a regular advertisment campaign.

[Takk]

Originally posted by manic cow
I'm not sure what I think about this to be honest. Is it better to be exploited and able to eat or unexploited and not able to eat? It's not like this is something that's harming them either, unlike the issue where homeless people were being paid to fight each other last year :(

Even if they are getting paid less than minimum wage here, it's better than nothing, surely? And it's not like they're likely to get paid anything by any other company, unless it's for selling the big issue, obviously, and I'm not sure if being paid by this pizza company would affect their ability to do that.


The pizza company could easily have just printed off a shitload of posters instead and plastered them everywhere, rather than paying to make the signs, then paying people to hold them as well. Granted, that wouldn't have given them a good public image, but it probably wouldn't have cost them as much, and at the end of the day, most people are more bothered by whether something is value for money rather than how moral the company selling it are.


I think to be honest in this case if it's helping a few people to be able to eat every day, then it's a good thing really. It's not like it's doing them any harm or making them do much to get the food/money either. I know in an ideal world all companies would just be friendly and give away food to homeless people, but let's face it, it's never gonna happen, and this is as close as we're gonna get as far as I can see.

This is basically, exactly what i think berni! :D

I'm not for exploitation of people, or paying less than minimum wages. But if these homeless people would not get money otherwise, then surely anything is better than nothing. I had qualms in thinking this, because i don't think i'd want to see McDonalds plastered everywhere, and it would give any company a good image, like giving money to charities to protect something you are trying to destroy. But on a small scale i think it might just be acceptable.

Plus, is sitting with an advertising sign any more humilitating than lying on the pavement begging for money from strangers?

[billy]

if i was the guy in the situation, id take the pizza, the money, and ditch the sign. we all deserve something to eat, and we shouldnt have to go through the humiliation of holding a sign for a business.

although, on the other hand, its happened in the usa for years with sandwich boards (the unemployed/homeless to go a business to apply to walk about with an advert for them on and get paid daily)

[Joe]

Usually with something on it like "NUDES NUDES NUDES" if I am to believe the Simpsons! :)

[billy]

what are the legalities of sandwich boards? were thinking of walking about glasgow with them on the week our album comes out.

[Joe]

Well if these townie type people can walk about with slogans like "fcuk me" and so on, i'm sure you'll be fine with anything providing it's not racist or anything. I trust you not to start riots as well Billy...!

[Niko]

ive been to portland. homeless people everywhere.

seeing as though they would've been holding a sign anyway that said 'need to feed my kids', or as i saw once; 'i wont lie: its for beer', it doesnt really matter.

but still.. pretty gross.

[deadstars]

that photo looks amusingly photoshopped.... ;)

but if its real then get some in Leeds... I am sick of the same people asking me week after week for money (I don't have any!!!) and we can now pick out the faces to avoid. Plus the ultimate guilt trip, on weekend evenings the beggars can be found sitting under the cash machines all round Leeds - thus making the "I have no money" argument redundant. :rolleyes:

I think thats a sad reflection on society.

[Sven945]

Originally posted by dead_stars_for_dead_eyes
that photo looks amusingly photoshopped.... ;)

but if its real then get some in Leeds... I am sick of the same people asking me week after week for money (I don't have any!!!) and we can now pick out the faces to avoid. Plus the ultimate guilt trip, on weekend evenings the beggars can be found sitting under the cash machines all round Leeds - thus making the "I have no money" argument redundant. :rolleyes:

I think thats a sad reflection on society.

york is much worse than leeds for the amount of homeless people

jack

[Lover of Outrage]

I think all cities are quite busy especially the touristy places, Cardiff has a fair few too. York will be busy, not only the main line rail but also the homeless shelter and food handouts.

[Dave]

Well, it's already been mentioned, but this idea IS better than nothing.

Besides, you can't shamelessly exploit someone who agrees to work for you. Unless you're McDonald's, when you come pretty damn close. Even then, people who work at McDonald's KNOW what they're getting themselves in for. It's not like they deserve sympathy, or anything.

With regard to the "Bumfight" scenario last year, I think there's alot of people who would fight each other for money. Just look at boxing.
Saying that the, er, bums were exploited in this because they needed the money is like saying everyone in the world who works is being exploited- they work because they need the money.

[Perdita]

I think all this 'its better than nothing' argument is bullshit. They should pay a decent wage or piss off.

Obviously, they're not going to pay properly, and I'm not going to slag off the homeless person who accepts their terms. Like everyone says, at least the money's there. It's just a fucking shame, and I hope that company's name is mud.

[Takk]

Ok, well then the homeless guy gets nothing. I know it's awful, but getting something really is better than getting nothing.

[Perdita]

Oh yeah, like I said, at least the money's there. What I don't agree with is the idea that the company is being in any way 'nice'. If they're going to do it, fine, but it starts to look pretty mean when you look at the cost of an ad in a local paper or even paying a leafleter minimum wage.

[Takk]

Yeah, like companies who are blatantly destroying the rainforest putting money into conservation projects. Or shell putting in money to appear green.

[Dave]

Originally posted by Perdita
I think all this 'its better than nothing' argument is bullshit. They should pay a decent wage or piss off.

Obviously, they're not going to pay properly, and I'm not going to slag off the homeless person who accepts their terms. Like everyone says, at least the money's there. It's just a fucking shame, and I hope that company's name is mud.

But they're NOT going to pay minimum wage, and the homeless are STILL going to take the work.

I don't think the homeless people who are at least getting something out of this scheme would see it from your perspective. Really, I don't.

I agree that they should be paying the poor buggers more though.

[maradona]

i doubt this is anything other than a gimmick to get publicity - and it worked - if we picked up on the story on the other side of the world then the local press will have picked up on it and the people that read yahoo news or wherever this came from will have picked up on it so the pizza place will have had loads of free publicity...for what the cost of a pizza? i really dont see them "employing" homeless people in this fashion on a regular basis because i imagine it would put off more customers than it can attract.

[Lover of Outrage]

I wonder if their pizzas are any good? Oops sorry. S'alright off to me bed gotta watch rugby early in the morn.

[Perdita]

Originally posted by Dave
But they're NOT going to pay minimum wage, and the homeless are STILL going to take the work.

I don't think the homeless people who are at least getting something out of this scheme would see it from your perspective. Really, I don't.

I agree that they should be paying the poor buggers more though.

I think, essentially, we're agreeing with each other. I DID say I woulnd't blame the people accepting this treatment, but my aggro is purely with the company and I have no illusions that they'd act any different. I'm being idealist. I think it's maradona's last post which is summing up what I couldn't express, way better than I could.

And yes, dave, that book is on the way to you soon... while fd was down I couldn't download your address... I haven't forgotten dammit!:)

[Dave]

Originally posted by Perdita
I think, essentially, we're agreeing with each other. I DID say I woulnd't blame the people accepting this treatment, but my aggro is purely with the company and I have no illusions that they'd act any different. I'm being idealist. I think it's maradona's last post which is summing up what I couldn't express, way better than I could.

And yes, dave, that book is on the way to you soon... while fd was down I couldn't download your address... I haven't forgotten dammit!:)

She...agrees with me!?
I'm shocked, stunned, traumatised, disillusioned, etc, etc.
It's a first, it really is ;)

Ah, glad you remembered, I wasn't going to push you for it though. Cause I'm nice like that.