TransLink to hit pause on Freeman SkyTrain voicing over allegations
Call it walking into a propeller-blade, says one marketing expert describing TransLink’s slam with Hollywood news of harassment and inappropriate-behaviour allegations against Morgan Freeman.
Less than 24 hours after announcing that Freeman’s big-star voice would be cajoling TransLink passengers with “fun facts, etiquette reminders,” and new ways to pay fares, the transport authority scrambled early Thursday to halt the hype.
Down came an online poll asking the public to watch a YouTube video and vote for the best of around a dozen audio messages Freeman had taped for riders in Metro Vancouver.
Out came a short statement saying TransLink was pausing Freeman’s voice announcements as part of a Visa ad campaign on the transit system “in light of information we’ve learned through news stories ... of serious allegations.”
Some online chatter was still harrumphing the choice of Freeman over a homespun Canadian celebrity when it all unfolded.
Funnyman Seth Rogen is seemingly on board with being the next voice of Vancouver transit.
The Vancouver-born actor and filmmaker is suggesting he could be the right person to replace Freeman.
Rogen tweeted he might be interested in the job after Postmedia reporter Stephanie Ip posted that the Superbad and Sausage Party star — with his distinctive voice and chuckle — was her preferred choice to be the new voice of SkyTrain. TransLink also seemed interested in Ip’s idea. They tweeted: “Thanks for the offer Seth. Let’s DM and talk.”
Says Lindsay Meredith, professor of marketing at Simon Fraser University’s Beedie School of Business: “They walked into the propeller-blade on this one (Freeman). It was a blind shot and they took a hit. The short line is that things can get risky with celebrity endorsements. Your service with the brand goes along with the celebrity and everything is ducky if the celebrity keeps things going,” says Meredith. “Visa offered TransLink a freebie and it looked like the best deal in town. (Freeman) had very high-brand veracity, high believability. He was the voice of God, a gold-plated name.”
“The problem here is complicated with the #MeToo (movement against sexual harassment and assault.) People are rightly saying this is just an allegation, but when you have these accusations of sexual interference, it’s a situation that you are guilty until proven innocent.”