I'm with you on this one. I wouldn't have recognized the image as a character from a cartoon show. Whatever happened to dressing people up in character costumes to advertise a cartoon movie? Putting gadgets with wires and batteries, and nothing to otherwise identify them at sites (bridges, subway stations) known to be terrorist targets wasn't the brightest ad campaign decision.
Especially in a city where one has to cross a bridge or go through a tunnel to enter or exit that city.