promotional politics

The other day I tried to drop some 'Project Pedal stickers' off onto my favorite theatre in downtown Santa Monica, Laemmle's Monica Fourplex. I was naive enough to assume it would be no big deal.

First I was re-directed to the main office, the employees did not have permission to simply place a small stack of twenty stickers on their promotional table. So Amanda and I drove down Santa Monica Blvd in bumper-to-bumper traffic until we reached the Laemmle-headquaters, I wandered through an un-marked door and up a narrow flight of stairs overflowing with what looked like old mail.

When I came around the corner and into the small loft office, all three people were on the phone - so I stood there awkwardly for a second until the receptionist finally acknowledged my entering the room. I explained what I was doing and asked if it was okay for me to leave some stickers with them, the receptionist then said I would have to talk with the marketing director, when I asked who this person was, he pointed to the guy - still on the phone - two feet to my right. So, I stood there some more and waited while he wrapped up his conversation, then ours went something like this:

Mike: Hi, I was hoping I could leave of stack of these stickers at your Fourplex on 2nd, they're for an independent documentary –-

Marketing Director: [cutting me off in mid-sentence] Are we showing this film?

Mike: What?

Marketing Director: This documentary, are we showing it?

Mike: No – the movie is still in preproduction. I’m just hoping to raise some awareness –-

Marketing Director: [cutting me off in mid-sentence again] I’m afraid the ramifications of placing said stickers on a small-table within just one of our many theatres would be unpredictably catastrophic. A risk we are unwilling to take at this given time.

Mike: [very long pause] Oh… ‘kay.

Marketing Director: Please leave.