Hitler vs. Doritos

Remember the movie Contact, where aliens find us because we accidentally sent them a broadcast of Hitler speaking at the 1936 Olympics? Wouldn't it be better if they find us because of delicious Nacho Cheese Doritos?

The British public is being asked to shoot a 30-second ad about what they perceive life on earth to be as part of Doritos 'You Make It, We Play It' user-generated-content campaign. The winning advert in the competition will be beamed past the earth's atmosphere, beyond our solar system and into the Universe, to anyone 'out there' that may be watching. The winning ad will also be broadcast on terrestrial TV.

This might seem like an insane publicity stunt. But don't worry, it's actually very practical:

Dr Darren Wright, Lecturer in the Radio and Space Plasma Physics Group, Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Leicester has played a pivotal role in realising this project. "There could also be potential commercial interest in enterprises like this. Imagine one day that companies on Earth might wish to advertise to other planetary colonies within our solar system –for example if man ever moves to colonise Mars!

Ads! In! Spaaaace!