Category Archives: News

When Guerilla Marketers Get Caught…

By Steve Lambert | Published: February 1, 2007

It doesn’t make the news often, but illegal advertisers are caught. One episode many San Franciscan’s remember is when IBM stenciled a campaign on to the sidewalks across the City. The marketers were caught, and fined around $120,000. Not a small amount. However, as SF journalist Hank Donat put it, $120,000 is “a small fraction of the cost for Citywide media placement that could be seen by consumers here for months.” In the end, many argue IBM came out ahead even with the large fine and bad publicity. After all, they do say “any publicity is good publicity.”

But does the good publicity equation still work when the publicity is a bomb scare embroiled into a law enforcement blunder? If Turner does “take responsibility” and pay $1,000,000 to the city of Boston, keep in mind, placing an advertisement on this year’s Super Bowl costs $2.4 mil for 30 seconds of air time.

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Who Hates Guerilla Marketing in Boston? (Updated again)

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 31, 2007

Globe FullToday in the NY Times, CNN, and news stations across the country you may have heard about bomb scares in Boston that turned out to be guerilla marketing. It’s well known that marketing steals ideas from artists. But the connections are rarely so clear as they are in this case, and we don’t often get to see it backfire in such a spectacular way. Read More »

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Free Shopdropping Workshop at Eyebeam NYC

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 27, 2007

Shopdropping Workshop with The Anti-Advertising Agency
Feb. 10, 2007 12-6pm
Eyebeam – 540 W. 21st Street

Just added, dates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina – please contact us for details

Read More »

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What advertisers pay to catch your wandering eye

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 20, 2007

From GOOD Magazine:

A great video version of an even better piece from Good Magazine. The video shows how much various advertising spaces cost. (And don’t forget, it’s all tax deductable as a business expense.) I picked up Good in a grocery store around New Years and was very impressed. The issue I have (#2) also has a respectable overview of “culture jamming” including a history and an introduction to some of the dominant forms.

Also note that subscriptions are only $20 and 100% goes to a charity organization you choose from a selection of 12.

Also posted in Articles, Reference Library | 4 Responses

Free Laser Cut Stencils

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 16, 2007

Yes, 100% free!

You Don't Need It Laser Stencil You Don't Need It Laser Stencil 2
Thanks to Eyebeam’s OpenLab, we can make available free laser cut stencils of our You Don’t Need It sticker. Of course, you can always make your own, but it sure is easier to get them in the mail. Read on for details… Read More »

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NY Times on Saturation Advertising

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 15, 2007

The New York Times has done a good overview on the desperate attempts of advertisers to “get over the clutter” resulting in a proliferation of advertising on every possible blank space in U.S. cities.

Also posted in Articles, Reference Library | Tagged | 1 Response

Sáo Paulo Bans Outdoor Advertising in 2007

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 11, 2007

From last month’s New York Times and posted here in case it becomes difficult to access in the future. And a special note of hope to residents of the United States: as fantastic as a the Sáo Paulo ban sounds, remember that Vermont, Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine have all banned billboards in their state. There are various other advertising regulations in effect nationwide banning such things as alcohol advertising near schools. Regulating advertising (at any point along the spectrum) doesn’t just happen in exotic foreign countries.

Sáo Paulo Journal
Streets Are Paved With Neon’s Glare, and City Calls a Halt
By LARRY ROHTER
Published: December 12, 2006

SÁO PAULO, Brazil – Imagine a modern metropolis with no outdoor advertising: no billboards, no flashing neon signs, no electronic panels with messages crawling along the bottom. Come the new year, this city of 11 million, overwhelmed by what the authorities call visual pollution, plans to press the “delete all” button and offer its residents an unimpeded view of their surroundings.

Buildings in the historic center of downtown Sáo Paulo are covered with billboards. They will be banned as of Jan. 1, when a city law takes effect. Read More »

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AMNY: Chase Caves on Illegal Sidewalk Ads

By Steve Lambert | Published: January 9, 2007

Chase sidewalk projection advertisementAM New York reports on more illegal advertising in New York (see also NY Press’ story on illegal scaffolding advertising).

“The bank is promising the city it will turn off projectors at about two dozen branches that have been casting the company’s big blue logo onto sidewalks.

The decision followed press inquiries about the advertisements, which by city law are considered sidewalk defacement and are punishable by fines, a spokesman for the city’s Department of Transportation said Wednesday.

The Chase branches have been projecting the corporate logo onto the sidewalk near the front doors during the past three weeks.

The transportation spokesman said that following the inquiries about Chase, agency inspectors were dispatched for the first time specifically to enforce the sidewalk projection prohibition.”

Link to Full Story

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You Don’t Need It – Stencil

By Steve Lambert | Published: December 28, 2006

You Don't Need It Stencil

Just made available a stencil version of our “You Don’t Need It” Sticker. The file is a pdf, which you can scale to any size you like. Glue the paper printout to something heavier, like a manilla folder. Then carefully cut out the black areas with an X-acto knife. The stencil is then ready to use. Send us photos of your results and we will post them on the site.

Made possible by:
Eyebeam openlab

Also posted in Agency Projects, Downloads | Tagged , , | 10 Responses

5 Samaras Project Post Cards

By Steve Lambert | Published: December 17, 2006

Samaras-Rainbow

We have available for download the set of 5 postcards (9.1mb download) distributed in the Samaras Project (example above). Each postcard is intended to promote a different alternative economy existing within the U.S economy. For more information, check SamarasProject.net.

Also posted in Agency Projects, Downloads, Samaras Project | Tagged , | 3 Responses

A Quick Guide to Ad-free Web Browsing

By Steve Lambert | Published: December 4, 2006

Sure, everyone is tired of flashing, jittery messages about credit scores or mortgage rates, but criticism of banner ads and other online advertising has almost become cliché. The backlash has resulted in every current browser offering a pop-up blocker. But it still seems almost impossible to use the web without becoming the collateral damage of an online advertiser trying to hit a target market.

Adblocking software takes the pop-up blocker to it’s next logical step and prevents advertising from being downloaded and displayed. In the place of that mortgage rate ad appears… nothing. A white rectangle where the ad once was. And it’s free. Don’t have adblocking software installed on your computer? Read more for a guide on recommended adblocking options for several browsers. Read More »

Also posted in Reference Library | Tagged | 4 Responses

You Don’t Need It – Stickers

By Steve Lambert | Published: November 26, 2006

You Don't Need It Sticker

Based on the popularity of the Packard Jennings and the Anti-Advertising Agency’s Bus Stop Bench project we had some stickers made. They are easy to carry around town and by placing the stickers onto advertising (or other objects) the ad is detourned, often in humorous and interesting ways.

Listen to Steve Lambert talk about the “You Don’t Need It” sticker on National Public Radio.

We’ve received some photo reports back from people like you the field (see below). If you’d like a free set of stickers, send a self address stamped business envelope to:

Steve Lambert/Anti-Advertising Agency
P.O. Box 543
Beacon, NY 12508

You can also download an eps file of the sticker and make your own (you can leave out the AAA logo if you want).

En Español.

Note: I can put 5 in an envelope without an extra stamp. If you want more, send extra stamps. If you want to send a little donation too, that’s fine – we’ll use them to make a whole new sticker that’s in the works. If you want the spanish version too, I can send them out and they are always free. All I ask is that you send me back some photos of where you placed them.

Also posted in Agency Projects | Tagged , , , | 47 Responses

Think Before You Pink

By Steve Lambert | Published: November 25, 2006

Pink ChapstickEvery October is “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” which brings with it the most prominent form of Cause Marketing. Cause marketing is when a corporation aligns itself with a charity and donates a portion of its profits to the cause. Not to be confused with corporate philanthropy, cause marketing is attached to a media campaign and sales of products, is not an outright gift, and is not tax-deductable.

Cause marketing, while undeniably raising thousands of dollars for many causes, is considered somewhat controversial for several reasons Read More »

Also posted in Reference Library | 5 Responses

AAA Street Team in SF Financial District

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 6, 2006

Samaras Project

Street Team

The Anti-Advertising Agency’s street team hit downtown San Francisco on Wednesday at noon to promote alternative economies. As part of the The Samaras Project, a series of postcards promoting worker owned co-operatives, gleaning, gift economies, open culture, and other economies were distributed to white-collar workers.

Check out The Samaras Project. Media: download a press release.

Read More »

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Steve Lambert at Dancer’s Group

By Steve Lambert | Published: October 5, 2006

CAN YOU BUY BEAUTY?
A Panel Discussion on Women and Advertising
in Conjunction with Jo Kreiter/Flyaway Productions’
“The Live Billboard Project”
Saturday, October 7, 4-6pm

Join “Live Billboard Project” co-producers Flyaway Productions and Dancers’ Group for a discussion on representations of women in the public advertising arena. Panelists include:

– Jo Kreiter, Choreographer and Director of “The Live Billboard Project”
– Jennifer Berger, Executive Director of watchdog organization for women in advertising About-Face
– Metzi Henriquez, Coordinator of the Central American Resource Center’s Second Chance Tattoo Removal Program
– Steve Lambert, CEO of the Anti-Advertising Agency
– Moderator Krissy Keefer, Dance Brigade Artistic Director and Congressional Candidate

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
2868 Mission Street, SF, 1?2 block from the 24th Street BART along Muni Lines 14, 14L, 48, 49 and 67.

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