Black Metal Musician May Be New Face of Norwegian Airline
Update: The Gauntlet sadly reports that Euronymous' name was removed from contention upon his family's request. Boo, family!
People, we've been through this before. If your job is to build up your company's brand via social media, do NOT get the public involved with an online poll. This is why Justin Bieber almost played North Korea. Why Stephen Colbert almost became the namesake of a Hungarian bridge. Why the name of Greenpeace's signature whale is Mr. Splashy Pants. And why a deceased Norwegian black metal guitarist may now be on the side of a national airline.
As The Guardian reports, Norwegian, a low-cost airline flying between Scandinavia and the UK, decided to celebrate its 10th anniversary by asking passengers to vote on heroes that would appear on the plane's tailfin. Do you see where this is going?
Ahead of soccer star Knut Torbjørn Eggen and beauty queen Julie Ege is Øystein Aarseth aka Euronymous aka founder of Norwegian black metal band Mayhem aka the guy who found his bandmate's body (aptly named Dead) after Dead's suicide, took pictures of his bloodied head, used one of those pics on the band's live album, kept pieces of Dead's skull to make jewelry and then was stabbed and chopped up 23 times two years later by a former bandmate.
Great job, Norway! The deceased musician is leading over "Trond André Bolle, a soldier who died in 2010, and the Lutheran reformist Hans Nielsen Hauge," meaning that Norwegians either love their metal over their religious and military heroes or the country has the blackest sense of humor in the world. Either way, corporations lose; the Internet wins. And all is right with the world.
If you're not familiar with Mayhem, the song below pretty much sums up their catalog.
Mayhem - "Freezing Moon"
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