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[adjunk]

Targeting particular applicants in an advertising campaign is a brilliant idea, but I'm troubled, ethically and legally, by the story of the applicant who was surprised to see her name up on a billboard.  Unless this college has a legal disclaimer in its application form to the effect that the applicant signs over the right to the use of his or her name and likeness in an advertising campaign, I have to wonder about the legality of using applicants in an ad campaign without their permission.  These are applicants, not students, and not part of the college community.  I would hope that the college is at the very least asking their permission and subsequently compensating these applicants financially, or in some other way, for the use of their names.

[mountain_ivy]

link, please.

[adjunk]

http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i30/30a00801.htm

[aardvark]

I figure the legality is pretty straightforward, and has been addressed in advance by the university's lawyers.  If a court makes them stop the campaign, they will.  If the campaign doesn't work, either because it's a dumb idea or because of a backlash on "ethical" grounds, then they'll stop the campaign.  If it works and it's legal, they'll keep doing it until it stops working or the laws change.