Introducing Scroober, Ad Blocking For Outdoor Ads
David Mountain
Senior Marketing and Advertising Pro | Data-driven and Experienced | Email Optimization | Creative Brainstorming | Make Your Testing If/Then Not A/B
NEWARK, NJ - A new start-up is turning heads here in the greater New York City area. Scroober promises to help provide ad-free options for users who want to do without the intrusions of outdoor advertising.
The Scroober app works by giving consumers who are being bothered by outdoor ads the opportunity to summon Scroober Hired Goons(TM), who either stand in front of the offending ad, or take more aggressive action against the placement.
"For us, it was a no-brainer after the success of ad blockers," said Scroober CEO Tony "Fat Tony" Toney. "Outdoor advertisers take up a lot of mobile bandwidth by blocking cell phone signals. Plus, dey get in the background of selfies, so we feel completely justified by being uh, whadyacallit, disruptive. Yeah, disruptive."
Scroober works through direct donations from its users, who also have the option of tipping. Some customers have complained about what Scroober refers to as surge pricing, which tends to happen when the Scroober associate is much larger than the customer.
"I love the convenience of Scroober," says a client who requested to remain anonymous with an increasing amount of desperation in his voice. "My Scroober associate was extremely professional, prompt, and direct. Also, surprisingly good with buzzwords, really. I don't think I'm going to be able to use the word 'synergy' for a long, long time."
Since Scroober's associates are independent contractors, the company avoids legal liability and health benefits. "Ah, dat's allright," says contractor Antonio "Knuckles" Anton. "I likes setting my own hours and living by my own rules. I gets lots of exercise and fresh air, and I know I'm doing good for my family. Besides, when youse hit a billboard, it don't hit back."
"Outdoor advertisers have kind of brought this on themselves," said online advertising professional and fourth-wall breaker Dave "Tony" Mountain. "Their failure to control frequency, respect the privacy of their users, and simply not make ads that were good enough to avoid the general public's desire to want to not see them made something like Scroober an inevitability. But maybe they'll use this as a magical way to make better outdoor ads."
"What our investors like about Scroober is how it gives local craftspeople in your area -- your dockworkers, carnies, nightclub personnel, substitute teachers and copywriters -- the chance to add to their revenue stream," said CFO Anthony "Numbers" Anthony. "Plus, dey get to do something they love, which is, uh, disrupt. Yeah, disrupt."
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