Last week, those walking on Central Campus were met with a barrage of activity. There was an inflatable bull to ride, cases of iced tea to walk away with and plenty of corporate logos and phrases to overload the senses. It was interesting and eye-catching – the display took up much of the area surrounding the Campanile. But the purpose of the activity seemed to be lost amid all the clutter.

From a distance, the display seemed an area of fun and freebies. A bit closer, the names of its sponsors – DaimlerChrysler and Jeep – became a bit more apparent. Stepping further into the fray revealed the opportunity to play games and win prizes. When exactly it was supposed to become clear the entire ordeal was arranged as a campaign against drunken driving remains a bit fuzzy.

The university enforces strict regulations regarding advertising on campus. A look at elements of corporate America on campus, such as newspaper boxes, reveals a bit of the regulations – the vendor box for The Des Moines Register outside of Ross Hall, for example, says little to promote its contents. Those promoting the campaign on campus last week surely went through many filters before being permitted to come to Central Campus, a typically peaceful and quiet area.

Perhaps the campaign made it through the proper screens. But it’s apparent from the activity on campus for several days last week that those walking through the area could easily slip away without a shred of information. They could have, however, snagged plastic cups, cases of soft drinks and prizes from the many games.

The university should have kept a sharper eye on what was, in essence, a way to get corporate advertising on campus. Should the regulations not prohibit all advertising during such campaigns, they should at least dictate that companies not focus so heavily on self-promotion (an archway on a heavily traveled sidewalk, dozens of flags with the company’s logo) and more on the purpose of the event (in this case, not to drive while under the influence).

Advertising is not the cardinal sin here, and DaimlerChrysler is not the only sinner.

The university needs to keep a tighter watch on those proposing to come to campus, or discard the regulations all together.

And, corporate America, please assume that your consumers are aware enough to know when they’re being asked not to drive while drunk, and when they’re being asked to look at shiny automobiles on our otherwise beautiful campus.

Editorial Board: Cavan Reagan, Erin Randolph, Rachel Faber Machacha, Charlie Weaver, Zach Calef, Ayrel Clark.