Marlboro ad in Pole Position

[DYNAGOD]

It sticks out like a sore thumb now, but i dont recall it as a kid.
now i know why i smoked marlboro when i was 6

[Donkey_Kong]

Thats the Japanese version with Marlboro sign. If it were the US version that sign would be...eh I can't remember now which one was their.

[danny_galaga]

i think the western one just has 'atari' and 'namco' on the signs...

[(+_+)]

It's one of those "in your face" subliminal messages. I remember there being signs but but have no idea about the specifics. Anyways, I going to go have a smoke. 

[Ken Layton]

Actually that may be one of the few unconverted Pole Positions left over from the Phillip Morris lawsuit.

About a year after Pole Position was on the market, Phillip Morris sued Atari for the unauthorized use of their Marlboro trademarks and advertising in the Pole Position machine. I still remember the overnighted legal letter and free replacement rom chips we got. The letter stated that Atari had 'mistakenly' put Marlboro graphics in the game play. Phillip Morris was concerned it would also be contstrued as selling cigarettes to minors (yeh right like they would really be concerned if the kids were smoking Marlboros). So Atari sent out free replacement rom chips for every Pole Position that had been registered with Atari by filling out the Warranty Cards when the game was purchased new from a distributor. There was a time limit on when these chips had to be installed and the old "infringing" chips returned (at no charge) to the Atari factory.

There was a legal piece of paper we all had to sign. The serial number of the machine done, the name of the tech performing the work, date the work was done, signature of the tech, and signature of the company officer/supervisor/owner all had to be on the document. The document was to be returned along with all the old 'infringing' game roms.

It's possible a few Pole Positions escaped Atari's and Phillip Morris' eyes.

[tommy]

There is nothing better than having a nice smoke while trying to get the pole position.

[Ed_McCarron]

There is nothing better than having a nice smoke while trying to get the pole position.

I thought the idea was to have the smoke AFTER you got the pole in position.

[tommy]

There is nothing better than having a nice smoke while trying to get the pole position.

I thought the idea was to have the smoke AFTER you got the pole in position.

 

Are we still talking about the arcade game? 

[Ed_McCarron]

There is nothing better than having a nice smoke while trying to get the pole position.

I thought the idea was to have the smoke AFTER you got the pole in position.

 

Are we still talking about the arcade game? 

We were talking about an arcade game?

[tommy]

Well, i tried to give you the benefit of the doubt, i didn't think you knew anything about getting your pole in any position. 

[Ed_McCarron]

In this pic, we had just finished positioning the pole and mounting an antenna on top (me, in the basket...)

When we were done all that work, I had a smoke.

What were YOU talking about?

[ChadTower]

There is nothing better than smoking a nice pole while trying to get into position.

Ken, thanks for that bit of info, I didn't know that about one of my favorite games.

[tommy]

There is nothing better than smoking a nice pole while trying to get into position.

Ken, thanks for that bit of info, I didn't know that about one of my favorite games.

I know you enjoyed editing that to suit your fantasies. 

[ChadTower]

It would be pretty damn funny to walk in on you doing that, I have to admit.  I'd have to concuss myself in order to wipe out the mental image but everything worth seeing has a price.

[tommy]

Whatever gets you through the night my friend.