Just Out-of-Home

I recently became aware of a possible ban on Out of home / Outdoor advertising out in the Los Angeles area, and became highly interested in the details of this subject. To think that some of the critical Out-of-Home advertising options may be banned in L.A., a Top 10 and number 2 DMA in the advertising world within the U.S., is simply not something to lightly. That is, especially if you are in the OOH world, whether you are an agency, strategist, media holder, and even an advertiser. I started digging.

Come to find out, there has been a “silent war” going on against outdoor billboards and digital signage for years. Some may have been aware about all the resistance to these media for years, but for myself, it is something that is something I just recently realized, and was eye opening. As I stated, this “war” has been going on for years, and not just in Los Angeles or California, not just in a few states, and not even just in the United States; it is apparently Global!

April 2008, according to Reuters’ Mystery Shanghai billboard ban irks ad companies, Out of Home /Billboard commercial advertising in most forms were suddenly banned in the commercial capital of China, Shanghai; to the confusion of many, I might add. The reason? Well, here’s what the officials in China stated in terms of a similar ban in Beijing. Yes, apparently they are banned in Beijing as well.

Authorities in China’s capital Beijing last year launched a crackdown on billboards promoting luxury housing, concerned they would fan resentment among less affluent residents.

Leave it to the Socialists… Another case: according to Billboard ban in São Paulo angers advertisers by the International Herald Tribune, ALL outdoor advertising in Sao Paulo, Brazil, one of the most populated cities in Brazil with a population of 11 million, has all been banned since January 2007. The reason? “visual pollution.” The result of the vote was 45 to 1 in favor of the ban, and the sole one vote, Dalton Silvano stated:

“I think this city is going to become a sadder, duller place,” said Dalton Silvano, who cast the sole dissenting vote and is in the advertising business. “Advertising is both an art form and, when you’re in your car or alone on foot, a form of entertainment that helps relieve solitude and boredom.”

Oh, it doesn’t stop here. The New Zealand Herald’s Fashion designer slams proposed billboard ban tell a story of a woman who owns a building where the government told her it was ok to have the billboard on top of her own building when she purchased it, but changed their tune in proposing a billboard ban. Ms. L’Estrange-Corbet states:

When I bought my building it had a billboard which the city council gave permission for many years ago … here’s the registration plate … No 479 and the rent from this contributes largely to the mortgage,

Suddenly, I find a group of city councillors want to put an end to the CBD having billboards … without any good reason and any plans to reimburse us for loss of revenue.

As I said, proposals on bans in terms of billboards and digital billboards is not just going on in L.A., or just even the U.S.; it’s going on in all corners of the world. In the U.S., states like Connecticut (at least on the  freeways), Arkansas, Alaska, Hawaii and Maine all have bans, with California now looking to slowly, but surely follow. I am not sure if there are any other states in the U.S. that should currently be on this list, and some of you out there may say, “those states are not a big deal in the advertising / DMA- sense..” True. After all, Alaska is one of the most beautiful places in the world, but where are you going to get impressions from? Polar bears? (kidding!) Trust me, I hear you. But one thing I know about the U.S. is that what starts as a small snowball can become an avalanche quite quickly. As you know, California is perhaps one of the most popular and “pressed” states in the U.S., and the potential ban there has already gotten a lot of press and some heated discussions on blogs / websites. What if the ban goes through in L.A. / California? Do you not think officials in Chicago (which I have been told by a trusty source that it is also potentially in the works), Philly, Dallas, San Fran (also in Cali), Boston, Atlanta, and D.C. (don’t even get me started on D.C.) won’t follow suit? After all, it’s great press for the politicians and some quick votes at the expense of media holders / advertisers. One of the comments I read on this issue already states:

And more power to them. The digital billboards that are being put up are garish eyesores. There resolution is low and many ads simply don’t read. In a city dependent on driving anything that pulls the eye from the road is a bad thing. Our neighborhoods blend residential and commercial. This isn’t Las Vegas or Times Square. Thanks for letting me know who to support.

I am not even going to list all the different sites and groups that are dedicated to the Anti-Billboard / Outdoor advertising movement. “Google it;” there a lot!, and another fact I did not realize until researching for this post. With the foundation set, now may be the time to get personal.

Those who know my background know I am a New Yorker. Not born here, but certainly bred here. To the left; this is the Donna Karan billboard, supergraphic; whatever you want to call it, that I have seen my whole life. It doesn’t make me want to suddenly go rush out and buy her designs, but I can say from an artistic point of view, and especially in terms of advertising, it is beautifully and tastefully done. It shows her connection and passion for New York City, the city that brought her up. Do you know what would be behind this large “billboard”? An ugly worn out wall! If you ask me would I rather see a nicely designed ad, or a large used up wall, I would answer the “Ad” without even blinking an eye, regardless of whether I’m in advertising, into her brand, or the wall is digital or “analog.” One of the reason that people keep bringing up about the California issue is that “it is distracting to the driver / causes accidents, especially the digital signage ones…” To this I say, I have driven past this particular DKNY ad numerous times without a single accident; I’m not the best driver either. I probably tripped over on the street more than even getting close to an accident around there.

Related to this point, let move a few blocks up to Time Square, the awesome Mecca that is the greatest and world-famous example of Outdoor / Digital Out-of-home / Digital Signage advertising; my source of inspiration and energy in my life overall, not just in my advertising life. I have driven through Time Square HUNDREDS of times literally; including playing “chicken” with the crazy cab drivers, and yup, still NO accidents there either. (Knock on wood.) Listen, I haven’t seen studies and research related to this topic, and I Certainly don’t want anyone to get hurt; especially for the sake of advertising. But could it just be that the issues protesters and politicians are trying to connect to Out of Home advertising is a matter of simple mathematical probability? That more car accidents occur in L.A. because, oh, I don’t know; EVERYONE drives over there??? Maybe of those many drivers, there are some crappy drivers? I might be talking crazy, but thought I would throw this out there…

The point of all this is that 1) in the current doomed economy, there are certainly FAR more pressing issues than billboards and digital signage. If it is a matter of “life” over advertising, I would choose Life over advertising any day, but Show me the proof. I have yet to see a strong case. 2) During my inquiry, a point was also raised that “it’s only for digital signage, not the old traditional billboards..” This may be so, as I also think it is more geared towards digital signage, but what does that say? The traditional ones are less effective as they are less “eye-catching”? If someone in the brand or agency side thinks a bit deeply on this issue, they can sure reach that sort of conclusion. That’s Not good and true either, as there are some GREAT billboards out there as you see on my other posts. At the end of the day, what if traditional billboards are some how also included in this ban? 3) For industries, companies, and all the employees within them to all meet their demise for the simple sake of politicians getting some votes is truly going down a dangerous path. What will be next? In-location networks seems to be fine for now, but from my personal experience, I remember that an Anti-Drug campaign offended a parent at a retail store, because she thought her kid was too young to see that ad, and the ad had to be pulled. An ANTI-DRUG campaign! This may be a remote / minor example, but what if some politician states that In-location networks are negatively affecting the consumers somehow…? There go in-store / location networks as well. What about mobile billboards, or street cart advertising? I don’t think I have to go down the list here…

If this ban happens, this could really leave the out-of-home, digital out of home, and billboard industries; bascially the foundation of Out-of-Home advertising, at the “mercy” of the vote-hungry politicians. Some on the Out-of-Home and Digital Out of Home Advertising sides stated “Freedom of Speech” as a defense, and I’m actually not sure if it’s that either, or goes that deeply. If it does, it is certainly not only the OOH /DOOH industries’ worries, as this can impact the entire advertising world eventually. But one thing I do feel that I know is that these politicians seem to want to demolish several industries and some great people within it Forever for the sake of being elected into office for one term. Can the U.S. really take out an entire industry in this economy? All this may not happen today, and probably not even tomorrow; but maybe someday. That “DAY” could be sooner than you think, and this side of adverting and media could potential come to a complete halt.