Hey Applebees!

The AP Press writes "A 6-year-old boy was hungry and decided he'd go to Applebee’s. So he grabbed the car keys, took his booster seat from the back seat of his grandmother's car and placed it in the driver's seat, then made a go of driving himself to the restaurant Tuesday."

I find this story horrific in the sense that I have a six year old daughter that I don't intend to let drive for at least 10-12 more years. But I also see this as marketing gold.

Can't you just envision the many, many angles of advertisements you could get out of this news story? I see cute commercials with first graders lined up at stop lights (looking over the wheel, not unlike the Wendy's Where's the Beef lady.) What about making the boy a spokesperson, like Subway did with Jared? You are in the news for FREE so capitalize on it, for Pete's sake!

But here's the rub. By the time the Powers that Be at Applebee's get motivated, plan a bunch of meetings, talk to their ad agency and implement said ad, the public has forgotten. This is the advantage of a small business. You don't need a board of directors to Yeah or Neah your decisions. You can implement plans faster.

So if sudden unexpected media attention was pointed your way--positive or negative--how would you capitalize on it? Me? I intend to retire early when Applebee's execs read this blog, fire the newly hired McCann Erickson agency and hire me with a hefty bonus.