New Zealand’s Dunedin Airport launched a sign that limits the time you can hug someone to say goodbye in an effort to ease airport traffic congestion. It went predictably viral, with people calling the sign and rule behind it “inhumane” while sharing it widely. All those detractors might be missing the point. This is clearly an example of the old PR adage that any attention is good attention since the world is now talking about an airport in the otherwise often forgotten, second largest city on the South Island.
Somewhat proving the point, Fast Company did a feature on it while calling it an example of “great information design” – exploring how it was better at communicating the need for brief goodbyes than broader but less human signs that say things like “no waiting” or “no passenger pickups.” They might be right. Or it could just be a great example of someone doing something they knew would get people talking … like great marketing is supposed to.
