Well, that's made my Christmas

[Cain]

I saw the most perfectly, brilliantly shameless and cynical advertisement ever when I was at Waterloo today.

I think the words alone should be enough, but just to make the scene perfect, it was set to the backdrop of a Union flag:

BAE Systems - Supporting Our Boys

[Prince Glittersnatch III]

I saw the most perfectly, brilliantly shameless and cynical advertisement ever when I was at Waterloo today.

I think the words alone should be enough, but just to make the scene perfect, it was set to the backdrop of a Union flag:

BAE Systems - Supporting Our Boys

  Why would a massive arms dealer like that even need to put out ads?

[Cain]

A good question.  I'm not entirely sure....but then, everyone goes via Waterloo.  I suppose if you want to expand your market, you don't ignore opportunities like that.

Also, good publicity.  We wouldn't want people thinking perhaps BAE Systems were mad war-profiteering bastards who gorged themselves fat on a decade of Afghani and British misery, after all.

[Xooxe]

I think it's so that when people see BAE mentioned in the news they'll think of them more as a legitimate business like any of the others of which they interact with in everyday life.

[Don Coyote]

I saw the most perfectly, brilliantly shameless and cynical advertisement ever when I was at Waterloo today.

I think the words alone should be enough, but just to make the scene perfect, it was set to the backdrop of a Union flag:

BAE Systems - Supporting Our Boys

  Why would a massive arms dealer like that even need to put out ads?

Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman place billboard ads up advertising their weapons. Granted I've only seen them in the parts of California where there are testing stations for weapons tech.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I saw the most perfectly, brilliantly shameless and cynical advertisement ever when I was at Waterloo today.

I think the words alone should be enough, but just to make the scene perfect, it was set to the backdrop of a Union flag:

BAE Systems - Supporting Our Boys

  Why would a massive arms dealer like that even need to put out ads?

Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman place billboard ads up advertising their weapons. Granted I've only seen them in the parts of California where there are testing stations for weapons tech.

They run TV ads, sometimes.  Never could figure out why.

[Junkenstein]

I would suggest it may be as simple as PR and brand reinforcement.

Consider the billions fast food chains spend on it, it seems logical that arms dealers will be spending to comparable rates. This is probably done overtly (the odd tv spot) to enable covering of covert payments (bribes and "favours")

Considering how much tougher it is to sell the idea of mutilation and death this is a potential goldmine of comedy. Mark Thomas had some fun in this regard a while ago.
Linkage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bItVG0HeJw0

[ñͤͣ̄ͦ̌̑͗͊͛͂͗ ̸̨̨̣̺̼̣̜͙͈͕̮̊̈́̈͂͛̽͊ͭ̓͆ͅé ̰̓̓́ͯ́́͞]

Mark Thomas had some fun in this regard a while ago.
Linkage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bItVG0HeJw0

How have I never heard of this guy until now?

Mind blown.