Audible's "Don't Read" Campaign Raises ALA Hackles

-- Library Journal, 01/10/2006

The new advertising campaign for Audible, which provides downloadable audiobooks and other content, bears the message "Don't Read," which the company and its ad agency consider "a satirical homage to the American Library Association's 'Read' public service announcement posters." Not everyone at the ALA is so flattered; some comments on the ALA Council electronic mailing list suggested a protest, while others said it would just call more attention to the campaign.

Last week, ALA executive director Keith Fiels announced on the mailing list, "We are in the process of sending them a polite but firm cease and desist letter. This use clearly violates our trademark and is not consistent with our message as an Association, which is to promote reading." The letter has been sent, but Audible spokesman David Joseph said late last week that he hadn't heard from ALA. "I think people are taking this way too seriously," he told LJ. "It's obviously not meant to offend anybody. We're not going to be changing people's reading habits with this campaign. Our customers when they come to our site tend to consume more literature."