Scott Hostetler didn’t bother to tell his family that he’d applied online to have their house in Buena Park, Calif., turned into an advertising billboard for the price of their monthly mortgage payment. He figured that it was like taking a chance on the lottery — and who ever expects to win the lottery? Then, about three weeks ago, he got the call from Romeo Mendoza, head of the advertising company that made the offer, Brainiacs From Mars.
Mendoza delivered the shocking news: The Hostetlers’ home had been selected out of some 38,000 applications to be the first to be branded with a very special custom paint job, a deal that would cover the monthly mortgage payment of $2,000 for at least three months and perhaps up to a year — depending on when either the homeowners or the ad company wants to end the contract. At the end of that time, the company promised to restore the home’s exterior to its original appearance.