ASX goes rock climbing

Following the trend of financial services firms using “inspirational” climbing themes to promote their wares (e.g. here) , the ASX has now inexplicably added this graphic to the front page of their website at asx.com.au. Clicking “find out more” provides some further info about exchange traded options, but has no further clues about why the ASX would promote them with climbing imagery.

The photo raises a couple of interesting points:

1. What exactly is the bloke doing?

2. What relevance does it have to exchange traded equity options?

Taking the points in order, it’s very difficult to say what the hell he’s up to.  The double tie-in points – one much higher than his harness, one much lower, suggests that he’s sitting in some kind of belaying seat.  The role played by the second rope, to which he’s clinging grimly, is unclear.  Actually the whole thing’s unclear, which brings me to my second point – what has this to do with equity options?  The only possible thing I can think of is that the climber is engaged in some kind of elaborate self-rescue scenario, thereby having a tenuous link to the use of options to hedge physical positions.

In any event, it’s rubbish.

On which subject this highly motivational poster recently came to my attention:

Ignoring the general confusion surrounding the text (what on earth are they driving at?) I particularly like way they’ve photoshopped the rope out of the picture, but left the harness in.  Or am I missing something…is this some kind weird deep water solo set up?  If I ever meet a deep water soloist I’ll remember to ask.