For the last few days there has been an a very bright UFO over Minneapolis. Sometimes it takes a trip over to Saint Paul. I first noticed it last night on my way home on I-94. It took quite a long time to figure out what it was: a blimp that says “Enough is Enough” on one side and “Had it up to here?” on the other.
There’s a good thread about it at MNspeak.com where nobody seems to be able to figure out what it is about. A report by WCCO, our local CBS affiliate, didn’t add much more information about it but the reporter did get a ride in it. Good for them. The notable part of the story for me was that this is apparently going to go on for one month. Either way, nobody in the city seems to know what the hell this thing is other than that we are being eaten by a viral marketing campaign of some sort.
My guess? A month from a few days ago when the blimp started flying puts us to election day. Peter McLaughlin, who is running for Minneapolis Mayor happens to use the exact same typeface and colors on all of his stuff. He isn’t doing terribly well against incumbent R.T.
Rybak and needs a new curveball. Seems mostly logical to me, but it doesn’t sound like it would be a good campaign tactic unless he can explain what we are having “enough” of. It also doesn’t explain why it went over Saint Paul for the Minnesota Wild season opener as he’s not running for Saint Paul mayor. It would be horribly expensive as well. Peter McLaughlin would be named the “Blimp Mayor” for the rest of his life. I hope I am wrong. Although it is weak, it’s my best guess so far.
Here’s a photo of the blimp posted by MNspeak.com user solace next to a Peter McLaughlin lawn sign a block from me.
Update (13 Oct 05): C.J. has the scoop today on the blimp.
Comments 6
Yesterday, I saw a car go down Hennepin with a mini-blimp on it but I don’t remember what it said now.
Posted 10 Oct 2005 at 08:39 ¶I bet it looked like this:
http://flickr.com/photos/kidneybingos/51351860/
(Photo courtesy of poster “Dave” on this thread on MNspeak.com)
Posted 10 Oct 2005 at 18:52 ¶An unconfirmed report from another commenter on that thread suggests that the opposite side of the car-blimp may read “Sick of hot air?” I didn’t bother braving 5pm traffic on my bike to get a view of it, though.
Posted 11 Oct 2005 at 00:24 ¶The blimp passed over my son’s baseball games several times on Sunday. Local media reports today make it sound like the mystery will be solved this week, maybe tomorrow.
Posted 11 Oct 2005 at 08:56 ¶I called the McLaughlin campaign office this morning and spoke with Melodie. I told her who I was and asked if the McLaughlin campaign as anything to do with the blimp. She said, “Um, well, no.” Concerning the blimp being related to the McLaughlin campaign, she said, “I have heard that from people [...] It does seem like it; I can see people’s logic.” I asked her flat out again if the campaign has anything to do with it, and she said that she does not know about it.
She did imply she knew who I was and and she was aware that I had posted about it before I told her I did.
She could very well be out of the loop, or this might add to the number of other holes people posted on MNspeak.com that shoot down this McLaughlin theory.
Posted 11 Oct 2005 at 11:09 ¶I got a reply today to an email I sent last Sunday from andy at petermclaughlin dot org:
I wish he could just say “No, it’s not ours.”
Posted 12 Oct 2005 at 17:07 ¶Post a Comment