This idea is based on three facts: 1. Everybody likes to see manned space flights, and the moon landing was awesome. 2. Few people are actually willing to fund manned space flights. 3. Capitalism.
Omega Watches is still riding the publicity that they got for having their products used on the moon. Who knows how many watches have been sold because because the label "Moonwatch" carries so much more weigh than "Navitimer"? Would Tang still exist if it wasn't flown on Mercury 7? Surely there is a lot of potential for companies in space-advertising. BUT. Nobody wants to see a moon landing with NASCAR-style logos covering everything. To solve this, companies could sponsor a flight with the understanding that their benefit will be long term bragging rights instead of direct advertising.
Each sponsoring company gets to send one tested and certified product on the flight, and pays a lump sum of money ranging from 1-50 million dollars. The company actually building the rocket incorporates these products into their plans and uses the money to fund the rest of the flight. Once on the moon, the company conducting the launch will make sure that good pictures and video are taken of the products on the moon. To keep it tasteful these pictures won't be broadcast, and there won't be any sneaky product placements in the live video feed. The materials are simply returned to the sponsoring companies when the ship lands for future advertising use.
Years down the road, Microsoft will still be selling Windows 8 as "the operating system of the lunar lander", Red Wing shoes will have a giant picture of a boot print in the moon dust at every store, and Iridium Satphones will be saying "yes, they really do work on the moon!"-- DIYMatt, Apr 15 2013 Rentisham's Traditional Flenting Wax [ytk, Apr 15 2013] http://en.wikipedia...n_Who_Sold_the_Moon [not_morrison_rm, Apr 15 2013] I think the first two words in the title are an oxymoron, but I'll give a bun for the overall concept.-- whlanteigne, Apr 15 2013 Geez. Just imagine a moon lander that runs on a windows product.
*some third party app just trying to do it's job causes windows to have an appoplexy
*blue screen of death.
/McBurgerking Microsoft Apple moon express floats off toward Neptune while on hold with a third-world call centre, eight resets and five "resolution specialists" later.-- Custardguts, Apr 15 2013 //I think the first two words in the title are an oxymoron//
Ahem. (See link.)
As for the idea, heck, if it gets us back to the Moon —and beyond—anytime in the nearish future, I say make “Just Do It” the official slogan of NASA. If the advertising can be made tasteful so much the better, but I'm not one to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. [+]-- ytk, Apr 15 2013 The man who sold the Moon...
Anyway, I'm unable to comment on Rentisham's advertising, due to the injunction. Well, I call it an injunction, the lawyers set one of my feet in concrete. Rather old school, I thought.-- not_morrison_rm, Apr 15 2013 It's the cutbacks, you know.-- not_morrison_rm, Apr 15 2013 6+-- whlanteigne, Apr 15 2013 random, halfbakery