France Rejects Giant Submarine "SpongeBob SquarePants" Statues

From AFP via Yahoo! News UK and Ireland:

France rejects submarine Sponge Bob statues

Plans to place giant statues of the cartoon character Sponge Bob in the sea off one of France's top natural sites have been scrapped in the face of stiff local opposition.

Nickelodeon, the US children's television network, wanted to place several four-metre (13-foot) statues under water off the Calanques -- deep narrow inlets noted for their biodiversity -- near the southern city of Marseille.

The idea was that children would be able to see them when they took diving lessons in the area, Thierry Reboul of the public relations agency working for Nickelodeon on the project, said Wednesday.

But the plan was scrapped after local activists opposed it, arguing that that the spectacular natural site should not be used for marketing purposes.

Much of the action in the Sponge Bob series centres on the adventures of the title character and his friends in the submarine city of Bikini Bottom.

Also, from Digital Spy:

Giant SpongeBob statues rejected by France nature spot

Local activists prevent the installation of SpongeBob SquarePants statues.

© PA Images

Local opposition has reportedly prevented the installation of giant statues of cartoon character SpongeBob SquarePants at a French beauty spot.

Nickelodeon wanted to position a number of four-metre statues underwater off the Calanques inlets near Marseilles, AFP reports.

It was hoped that children having diving lessons would be able to see the statues.

Activists successfully argued that the natural site should not be used for marketing, PR agent Thierry Reboul confirmed yesterday.

Last year SpongeBob executive Paul Tibbet suggested that the reason people connect with the show is the optimism of the characters.

The show was named 'Favourite Cartoon' at last week's Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

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