ET targeted for a spot of consumerism

First came unmanned probes then a dog, and then the space race’s crowning achievement – man. Now - for better or for worse - it seems that adverts are also space bound.

Of course - no one actually knows if extra terrestrial life will even like cheesy snacks

The University of Leicester is helping launch the first ever campaign to beam an advert into the great beyond. As part of the ‘You Make It, We Play It’ promotion run by Doritos, the British public are being given the opportunity to create a 30 second advert about life on Earth. The winning entry will be broadcast into space later this year for whoever may be listening.

The EISCAT Space Centre on Svalbard will transmit the advert towards the solar system 47 Ursae Majoris (UMa), which is 42 light years away from Earth. UMa has a central star similar to our Sun and it is thought that its solar system is likely to support small terrestrial planets which could be similar to Earth. The UMa solar system lies in the Great Bear Constellation, more commonly known stargazers as The Plough.

By coding the ad in conventional 1s and 0s it is hoped that even when the signal is weakened over distance an intelligent life form with receivers could record and decode it. 

The project is supported by the University of Leicester and EISCAT (The European Incoherent SCATter Scientific Association), who study extra solar planets. Professor Tony van Eyken, Director of EISCAT, said: “Broadcasting an advert extra-terrestrially is a big and exciting step for everyone on Earth as up until now we only tend to listen for incoming transmissions. There have been reports that NASA beamed a Beatles song towards the Polaris star system, though as this is a 1,000 light year round trip, it’s highly unlikely it will ever be received by extra-terrestrials. With the transmission technology and planning we are employing there is a much greater chance that the Doritos advert will potentially be seen by any alien life form.”

Entries to the competition can be submitted via the Doritos website www.doritos.co.uk and the winning advert will be transmitted into space on the 12th June 2008 as well as being broadcast on British terrestrial television.

By Leila Sattary