Real Criminals on Billboards

Maryland has launched an ‘EXILE program’ in which they are featuring actual convicted criminals on billboards.  The purpose is to make jail seem more real and better portray the consequences of criminal actions.

Steve Hall at Ad Rants points out the potential adverse impact of such a campaign: “Want ad fame? Just go commit a crime. Oh wait, that’s not what Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein says the message should be. According to him, ‘The purpose of the billboards is deterrence.’”