Was Obscene Mural All A Publicity Stunt?

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A giant penis painted on a building in downtown Sacramento has people talking and some are wondering if it could have been a publicity stunt.

"From memes, gifs, shares, other versions of it, it's been everything under the sun," Lucy Crocker, president of Lucy and Company, said of the painting.

The founder of the Wide Open Walls Festival says the artist did this as a joke. Intentional or not, that joke is a powerful tool.

READ MORE: Some Consider Giant Penis Mural Vandalism, Police Say It's Not A Crime

"Things that are funny spread like wildfire on social media and in the press," Crocker said.

The artist is commenting about the painting, but it's still getting a lot of attention. The attention is also helping the mural festival.

"I think any attention is good. It means people will come out and look at them," one resident said.