Category Archives: News

IllegalSigns.CA, we love you.

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 26, 2007

Illegal Toronto

If you ever looked at the overwhelming amount of advertising in urban spaces and questioned whether or not you can make a difference, you most certainly can. Meet Rami Tabello, the man behind my new favorite website: IllegalSigns.CA. The Toronto based site tracks illegal signs, as well as lax enforcement through freedom of information requests and old-fashioned sleuthing. Since starting earlier this year, his organization was able to remove 200 illegal signs in just their first 2 months.

I’m still a bit speechless by how awe-inspiring this effort is, so I’ll let them explain…

Everyone should have a hobby. Our hobby is destroying illegal billboards with the rule of law.

The outdoor advertising industry has a global culture of non-compliance with the law. Advertising companies are erecting illegal billboards all over the world, wherever they can get away with it. In Toronto, this renegade, lawless industry has been acting with impunity due to bureaucratic negligence.

Our Streets are where civic capital is created. Illegal billboards monetize our civic capital, under no colour of right, by treating citizens as consumers first. Illegal billboards commodify what is unique about our neighbourhoods by turning our Streets into pages of a mass-market magazine, without regard to the law. Join us as we fight to legalize and democratize Toronto’s visual environment. Join us as we fight to Reclaim the Streets.

Another amazing tidbit pulled from a piece on illegalsigns.ca in Canada’s Marketing Daily:

Les Abro, president and CEO of Abcon Media, acknowledges the outdoor advertising industry has a history of flouting signage bylaws. “It is widespread. It’s the nature of the beast—you either do it or you don’t do any business,” says Abro.

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Damnvertising

By Anne Elizabeth Moore | Published: October 24, 2007

New term, folks: “Damnvertising” is when a new ad campaign or mode of advertising comes along that is so brilliant, it makes you go, damn!

Which is exactly what I said to myself when I received a forwarded press release heralding the arrival—finally!—of Handvertising.

My Coca-Cola HandHandvertising, according to the press release, is a new advertising trend (although according to the company’s website no one’s actually used it yet) that is causing (and I quote) “advertisers [to] look at your skin in a whole new way!”

Of course, this “whole new way” is “as a space for more advertising,” which doesn’t seem to me to be a terribly new way for advertisers to look at anything anymore, but what do I know? My hands currently promote nothing except that I need to buy some more cat food.

“Almost everyone has been to a county fair, swap meet, bar, or club and had had their hand stamped for proof of entry. We have found a better use for this space that could make everyone happy . . . Advertisers are always looking for a new and exciting way to promote their brand. Handvertising USA offers a unique way to do this and everyone benefits,” said Mike. Which is totally, 100% true. Except for that one person who doesn’t benefit: the owner of the hand. Oh and also: the viewers of that hand. So I guess by everyone, Mike Brown, CEO of Handvertising USA really means advertisers. And Mike Brown.

The press release—its own form of advertising (and what a bummer it was in boring old email form, and not scrawled across the back of some shirtless delivery boy! Think of the potential! Backvertising!)—even provides detail on the origination of the trend’s unique name. “What do you call advertising on your hands? ‘Well I like to call it Handvertising,’ said Mike Brown CEO of Handvertising USA.” Further, the release urges recipients to write immediate stories and blog posts about this exciting new trend. “Use our recent Press Release to get ideas,” it offers helpfully, “or you can simple [sic] paste the whole thing word for word.”

Which I would have done in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, in an effort to protect his intellectual property (by which I guess I mean my hands), Mike Brown, CEO of Handvertising USA added this warning notice to the bottom of his release: “INFORMATION IN THIS E-MAIL AND ANY ATTACHMENTS IS CONFIDENTIAL, AND MAY NOT BE COPIED OR USED BY ANYONE OTHER THAN THE ADDRESSEE, NOR DISCLOSED TO ANY THIRD PARTY WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION.” Damn!

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Ad-Free Blog & Keep Your Day Job

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 19, 2007

Ad-Free BlogAd-Free Blog is a simple site that caused a lot of controversy. Two pages were set up about 2 years ago to supply a graphic for blogs declaring “This is an Ad-Free Blog.” The creators, Keri Smith and Jeff Pitcher, have popular blogs themselves and were receiving solicitations for advertising as well as “mentioning” products in their content. Being the upstanding folks that they are, and generally concerned about the proliferation of advertising in general, they created the Ad-Free Blog graphic and set up a site.

I met Keri and Jeff (my neighbors at the time) when they were amidst a backlash to Ad-Free Blog. There were being called unrealistic and ignorant. A counter site, called adfreeblog.com popped up encouraging bloggers to “Have Fun and Make Money!” Jeff and Keri are smart, thoughtful people and addressed legitimate criticisms on a very thorough FAQ. Buried among the “what planet are you from” comments, much of the criticism stems from an indignant opinion that “I have the right to sell advertising on my blog and make money!”

However, a recent Reuters story confirmed a suspicion of mine. Most people don’t make money advertising on their blogs. Check out these figures:

The catch, according to some, is that much of the money flowing toward the Internet is concentrated on a few dozen of the most popular sites. That has left smaller, less well-known sites at a severe disadvantage when it comes to attracting advertising money and surviving.

In the United States, the top 50 Web sites accounted for more than 90 percent of the revenue from online ads in the first half of 2007, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau and PricewaterhouseCoopers. The top 10 sites accounted for 70 percent of the revenue.

All the while, the number of Web sites continues to grow, creating more competition for audiences…

All that bickering over the leftover 10 percent.

I know people that have Google Ads on their sites, and I have yet to meet anyone who has received a check from Google. Why? Your balance has to exceed $100 before they issue a check. And this can take years. There are so many sites that use Google Ads and are too small to get paid that, according to wikipedia, Google has a $370m balance of unpaid accounts. And Google is bringing in money every month from advertisers paying for that space. Is it clear who’s coming out ahead here?

The only way one can get paid from Google is to wait it out and break the $100 mark, or close your account. If you have Google Ads on your blog maybe it’s time to close the account, collect your $15, and post the Ad-Free Blog badge.

Related: In January 2006 I wrote about Ad-Free Blog on Stay Free.

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Protect Your Right to be Spammed!

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 18, 2007

Rights CircularThe spin on this direct mail campaign to save direct mail is near Luntz Levels. (I just coined that phrase, you read it here first!) Apparently our own Emily Gallagher has been mistaken for the over 60, easily conned, coupon filled fanny pack demographic, as she received this call to action in the mail recently. The card speaks for itself, so do click on the thumbnails below to read more. However, I will emphasize this line: “We believe this bill violates your constitutional right to decide for yourself what advertising you receive.” Of course, we must protect the Constitution here. Make no mistake, the Constitution is very clear on money saving circulars and advertising coupons. But more than that, since when do I get to decide what advertising I receive?

Your name, address, income, and purchasing habits are all cataloged and sold, with just a shred of your consent. Literally. I’m using the second person because I mean you. And there are thick, phone book size catalogs that sell the personal information of you and people like you. Say you’re a Republican and listen to hip hop. Or perhaps you read ArtForum and registered for the Green Party. Your information has already been sold by companies like those in the links. Search for your own demographic here and if you don’t find what you’re looking for, don’t worry, there’s other companies. Yes, this is how those mail order catalogs keeps finding your house.

But hey, if you don’t want the solicitations simply follow a series of cumbersome, redundant steps, or pay some company $20-$40 to do it for you, and most of it, probably, might stop filling your mailbox.

So don’t let the evil government take away your rights! Remember, you choose what advertising your receive… so they say.

P.S. Check out EPIC if your concerned about keeping your information private.

rightscircular.jpg rightscircularback.jpg

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15 Unfortunately Placed Ads

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 17, 2007

Yahoo 404

Oddee has an amusing post showing ads placed in an unfortunate context. And remember, that unfortunate context can easily be created with some well placed stickers or paint.

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Boston Boots Musicians for Marketing Messages?

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 16, 2007

I love seeing amazing musicians performing in subways around the United States. When I worked in community radio, I even recruited some for on-air performances. I haven’t been to Boston in close to 10 years, but I remember the music I heard performed on the subways.

Much like BART in the Bay Area, Boston’s MBTA wants is looking to bring in more advertising content to it’s subway, the T-Line, this time though audio broadcasts. We’ve posted here before about why this is – tax cuts are beginning to cripple infrastructure, which sends city government to corporations with hat in hand, usually making deals that sacrifice the commons for a small portion of their deficits. I digress…

The MBTA has launched a pilot program, T-Radio, which would air music, weather, lotto numbers, and, you guessed it, advertising. Their press release states makes it sound pleasant enough:

“This is a great opportunity to provide the customer with up-to-date information in an engaging and entertaining format. Providing news, sports and weather along with service alerts while also promoting destinations that can be accessed via public transportation are just a few of the many features available on T–Radio.”

They also mention they’ve teamed up with an “innovator,” Pyramid Radio. Pyramid is a bit more forward regarding their approach when describing what they do on their website. It’s like muzak, but more manipulative:

Pyramid Radio created customized audio entertainment designed to entertain your customers and drive sales in your store. This give you, the retailer, the opportunity to influence customers inside your store, before they reach the cash register. As a Pyramid Partner you will receive powerful and targeted messaging and branding delivered by the nation’s top radio personalities and sent daily in the latest digital delivery. Music, commercials, and customized jingles are seamlessly integrated. Most importantly, as a Pyramid Partner you will share in the revenue generated by the advertisements which we sell.

Some Boston transit riders are concerned – loosing a vibrant culture of street musicians so your subway experience turns into what it’s like waiting for a movie to begin in most theaters these days; inundated by non-threatening music combined with “seamlessly” integrated promotional messages. What kind of public transit are we headed towards where advertising is inescapable?

The good news is it’s a pilot program and the MBTA is interested in public feedback, so let them know what you think – I did. There are already citizens responding, wanting to support musicians and get rid of T-Radio. T-Radio isn’t fully in place yet, so now is the time to speak up.

And to brighten your day, here’s a video of the Loose Marbles, a band I saw performing in the Union Square subway earlier this year. So great to happen upon…

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Mutant Postcards From Athens

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 15, 2007

pSit Postcards

A group in Athens called pSit has sent me some photos of a project they completed recently using the “free postcards” one finds in cafes. The postcards are all advertisements that marketers hope you will find amusing and send to your friends – like a direct mail campaign where you pay for the postage. (These postcards were part of the inspiration for the AAA’s Samaras Project).

pSit grabbed all the postcards, obliterated the advertising with spraypaint and stencils, and then returned them to the cafe. This project could be repeated simply over a weekend and would be a lot of fun. Thanks pSit.

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Logo Motto Flickr

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 14, 2007

2 projects:

logomotto LogoMotto is a very simple page that randomly juxtaposes a company logo with another’s company slogan. It’s funny, though I’m not entirely sure I can explain why. Clicking through a few combinations of logos and mottos in new contexts had me realizing how bizarre and controlled these short phrases and little graphics are.

The Ad Generator In a similar vein, friend of the AAA Alexis Lloyd’s Ad Generator combines randomly generated slogans with related images in flickr to create odd, ad-like messages that make you wonder how creative those “creatives” in ad agencies really are.

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Playing Catch Up

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 11, 2007

It’s been quiet here for a while. I’ve been busy these past few weeks on a side project for Conflux. But more than that, a big new project with Packard Jennings (see Bus Stop Ad Project) has been taking up most of my time. It’s finally done and will be installed on Market Street in San Francisco in the beginning of November.

Since being so busy, some bits of relevant news have slipped by. Here’s a few to hold you over, with more to come in the near future…

Lobbying to Legalize Advertising
A year ago the Municipal Art Society and other community groups began to pressure the New York Department of Buildings to enforce existing laws that ban advertising on scaffolding construction sheds and construction sites. After realizing the fine/profit ratio was out of proportion, the DoB physically removed much of the illegal advertising.

An article in this weeks Village Voice explains that the DoB actually paid the advertisers to remove their own illegal ads. Also in the article: Outdoor Advertisers are heavily lobbying Melinda Katz, a Queens City Council member and candidate for City Comptroller, who has written legislation to make advertising on construction sheds legal. Worth reading.

By the way, Queens is home to another corrupt politician, showboat legislator, Peter Vallone Jr., who angles for votes by vilifying graffiti and advocating for disproportionate fines and jail time for writers. Queens, where’s the justice?

Locked Into A Bad Lease
Earlier this year two highway sized billboards were erected, one on top of the other, entering Greenwich Village in Manhattan. They reach higher than 3 stories, loom over housing, and have generally not been well received in the neighborhood. In a NY Times article, the landlord who had them installed expressed regrets:

”I personally want to unequivocally apologize for having made the decision to install the billboards,” he said in the statement. ”It was a business decision made without fully envisioning the sheer size of the signage and without understanding the emotional impact it would trigger.”

Mr. Achenbaum added, however, that he could not remove the billboards because he was ”bound to a long-term lease” with Sign In Properties, a signage company, for 20 years. Ms. Cohen added that if the hotel broke the lease, it would be contractually obligated to pay Sign In the projected lifetime revenue of the billboard, which she said would be a ”multimillion-dollar sum,” as well as the cost of the structure.

In his statement, Mr. Achenbaum also said that to make amends, he had offered to let artists display their work on the back of the billboards in the future, and to give those artists $5,000 grants. The program has not begun yet, according to Ms. Cohen, because Mr. Achenbaum must first secure city permission to display the works.

Ouch, that’s some lease. So the shortsighted landlord, thoughts clouded by greed, has had a change of heart. That’s nice. Sorta.

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So Happy Together, Part Two: Show Me The Money!

By Emily Gallagher | Published: September 3, 2007

Emily Gallagher returns with Part Two of her multi-part examination of advertising and the music industry. Be sure to check out Part One, which gave an overview of how and why advertisers are interested in popular music. And on we go… -Steve
This post has been updated! Please see below.
flossy flossyCertainly there are musicians who loathe the idea of advertisers using their songs, but there are so many who can’t wait to strike a deal. Pop music in commercials has become ubiquitous because musicians are accepting the offers, often enthusiastically.

Which unapologetic music hocker comes to mind first? The British Tantra master, Sting. I’ve tried to figure out just why Sting is so willing to sell his music to major corporations like Jaguar, and my hypothesis is that it is a midlife, career-in-twilight crisis. In 1999 the commercial pop musician (pun intended) created a dual purpose music video/Jaguar commercial (refresh your memory?), evidently hoping for a promise of exposure to a younger Jaguar-lusting audience, or reminding an older jaguar-owning audience that he’s still productive …and of course, the temptation of a fistful of dollars. On the other end, Jaquar purloins the cultural capital previously or currently produced by a recording artist (for example, The Police) to align their product with something culturally significant. In other words: motivated by greed from both sides. Read More »

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Laws against billboards, how about wrap one?

By Paul S. | Published: August 28, 2007

There appears to be a new phenomenon of people being paid to “wrap” their cars in advertisements as a sort of moving billboard. (article see the article here) I had seen several flatbed trucks which had been outfitted with billboards on the back before, but I have not seen one of these cars yet. Maybe that is because I live in a place where huge SUV’s are essentially undriveable due to lack of parking. However, this struck me as crazy –

Nextel XB3M, which remains the largest producer of the material, uses an adhesive similar to the one on its Post-it notes, enabling installers to place vinyl strips on a vehicle that do not stick until pressure is applied. The material is popular for wrapping racecars, helicopters, planes, boats and even buildings. Far from hurting the paint job, the wrap preserves it.

The company either gives its brand ambassadors free cars or, more often, pays them as much as $800 a month. In the last seven years, FreeCar Media has hired about 7,000 motorists, who are instructed to park outside whenever possible, refrain from smoking, littering or swearing in their vehicle, and to attend a monthly influencer event where they hand out samples or coupons. They also have to send reports frequently with photographs to show where their cars have been.

Of course, if you’re driving a mobile billboard, you are a de-facto ambassador of the company brand. So they also police their drivers behavior.

People whose cars were wrapped with ads for two Coca-Cola products — Planet Java, a bottled coffee, and Vault, an energy drink — were cautioned against sipping Pepsi products behind the wheel. Nor could they park at restaurant chains like KFC or Pizza Hut that serve Pepsi exclusively, Mr. Livingston said.

“We weren’t allowed to have alcohol in or around the car, or use profanity,” said Mr. Harris, who now lives in Brooklyn and is a few credits shy of a degree in advertising. “When you’re out, you’re supposed to be representing the brand.”

The whole thing raises all kinds of alarm bells. I suppose my biggest concern would be the evasion of regulation. The amount of billboards on the roadways is tightly regulated, and this seems like a way to get around that. This should be regulated from the outset as billboards are.

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The Golden Gate Billboard

By Paul S. | Published: August 27, 2007

Golden Gate Bridge - courtesy of ChealionThere was an article in the NY Times today discussing the possibility of getting some sort of “sponsorship” for the Golden Gate Bridge. You know the idea of slapping advertising on everything has gotten bad when people are seriously discussing slapping ads on national treasures. What’s next? I giant “Monster.com” sign below the Mount Rushmore heads? A huge Virgin Airways banner on the Washington Monument?

Kevin Bartram, a sponsorship consultant hired by the bridge’s overseers, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, said any sponsorship would be tastefully done.

“It will be appropriate and understated,” Mr. Bartram said. “But visible.”

Uh huh, I’d say that there is absolutely no advertisement which would be “appropriate” on the Golden Gate Bridge. Here’s the problem, the conservative anti-government types have starved the government of funds, and now our elected officials are at a loss about what to do. You see, people all agree with the cut-taxes mantra, but sure don’t want any services to be cut! Of course the fact that taxes go towards things that we all want and need such as infrastructure and bridges that don’t collapse isn’t explained when politicians talk about tax cuts. So now, the Golden Gate Bridge district is going hat in hand to big corporations, who have got very low corporate tax rates, so they can fund a small portion of the expensive bridge maintenance. Of course, that advertising money which is paid to the Golden Gate Bridge will be a tax-deductible advertising expense to those corporations!

The bridge district, with a 2007 operating budget of $150 million, has a projected deficit of $80 million in the next five years. A 2002 toll increase — it now costs $5 to enter San Francisco — was passed by the bridge’s board, and bus and ferry fares have also been steadily increasing.

If approved, Mr. Bertram said, corporate sponsorships could bring in as much as $4 million a year by its third year.

So we sell off the visual beauty of one of our nation’s landmarks for a paltry sum, and the bridge still can’t make enough to cover expenses. I’ve got an idea, how about we start taking in enough money in taxes to fund our basic infrastructure. Agreed?

image courtesy of flickr/Chealion

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There Are 12 Kinds of Ads in the World

By Steve Lambert | Published: August 22, 2007

From Slate:

There Are 12 Kinds of Ads in the World
Resist them all!

In 1978, Donald Gunn was a creative director for the advertising agency Leo Burnett. Though his position implied expertise, Gunn felt he was often just throwing darts—relying on inspiration and luck (instead of proven formulas) to make great ads. So, he decided to inject some analytical rigor into the process: He took a yearlong sabbatical, studied the best TV ads he could find, and looked for elemental patterns.

After much research, Gunn determined that nearly all good ads fall into one of 12 categories—or “master formats,” in his words. At last year’s Clio Awards, I saw Gunn give a lecture about these formats (using ads mostly from the ’70s and ’80s as examples), and I was fascinated by his theory. I soon found myself categorizing every ad I saw on TV. It was a revelation: The curtain had been pulled back on all those sly sales tactics at the heart of persuasive advertising.

This slide show presents some recent ads exemplifying each of Gunn’s 12 basic categories. With a little practice, you, too, will be ticking off the master formats during commercial breaks.

Check out the story at Slate to see the slideshow.

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You Are A Captive Audience

By Steve Lambert | Published: August 17, 2007

Here’s some miscellaneous links about advertisers seeing people in their everyday lives as a “captive audience” for their sales pitch. Enjoy!

Fillboard

FillboardFillboard specializes in “handheld outdoor advertising” meaning they put ads on the pumps at gas stations. The site explains, “consumers interact with your with your ad during the 3-5 minute refueling process.” (What definition of interaction are they using?) And later boasts, “90% of respondents correctly recalled Fillboard advertising.” I think we can attribute some of this recognition to the initial shock of seeing advertising on a gas pump. This, of course, is the problem with ad creep; it works at first but eventually people stop noticing it. Then advertisers look further for places to put their messages, like escalator handrails, airplane overhead bins, eggs, bathroom urinals, stalls, and (soon) mirrors. Eventually Fillboards will become like all the other advertising media that surrounds one at a gas station, just more garbage.

Movie Theater Advertising

Another venue where people become a literal captive audience is at the movie theater. Where one used to expect hearing some music and seeing previews, most theaters in the past 5 years have begun playing promotional audio, and showing advertising not only during the previews, but from the moment the theater doors open. Bring this up at a party and it seems everyone has a complaint about ads before movies they’ve paid to see. In fact, recently a woman sued a Lowe’s theater for false advertising because the advertised show time and the actual show time differed drastically because of pre-movie advertising.

An AAA Blog reader sent me a post she wrote about pre-movie advertising which goes into some history and includes a great page from Kevin Murphy’s recent book, but I’ll let you see it for yourself. Speaking of fighting back…

Corporate Vandals Not Welcome

Corporate Vandals Not WelcomeI’ve been meaning to write about this for months and I’m a little embarrassed it’s taken this long. Corporate Vandals Not Welcome is a grass roots sticker campaign to go over illegal advertising. Companies attempting to buy legitimacy will pay “street teams” to put up posters, stickers, and other promotional materials illegally. The laws are loosely enforced (if at all) and the marketing firms incorporate fines into their budgets. All the while individual artists and graffiti writers putting up stickers of their own are called criminals, beaten, fined, and given jail sentences. Corporate Vandals Not Welcome’s message is simple and clear, and the stance (“we have declared open season on corporate vandalism”) is refreshing. While I’m sure the owners of the site would prefer to remain anonymous I’m going to assume they won’t mind if people borrow the message for their own campaign. Check out the site and get to it!

photo courtesy: PSFK

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NYT: Pay Phones Turned Mini-Billboards

By Steve Lambert | Published: August 17, 2007

Pay Phone AdvertisingAn excerpt from Aug 17 New York Times:

There is a reason for their survival: Public telephones are one of the stranger cash cows in city finance. Not because of the coins that are fed into them, but rather because of the millions upon millions that companies are willing to pay to put ads on them.

The phone kiosks generate $62 million in advertising revenue annually — and last year the city got $13.7 million of the take, triple what it pulled in from calls.

Over all, the number of pay phones in New York is falling, as it is throughout the country. But in a phenomenon unique to New York, the phones are more valuable than ever, thanks to the intense competition among advertisers for attention in a city of eight million.

The rest of the article is just as interesting. Read the full story and see the multimedia feature at the NY Times site.

Also mentioned on Streetsblog.

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