Anyway, the point of this is adverts. Since moving to London I'm exposed to even more than I was before. They can come in handy when you're on the Tube and have no reading material, but 99% of the time I sneering at them and the rubbish statements they make (WKD being a prize example). Every so often though, I'll see something that stands out from the crowd. Here's one currently on display in London Bridge underground station:
There's something about ones like this that fascinates me. Who pays for them? I like to think that the chimps in PG Tips HQ decided that enough is enough, sales are in freefall and it's time they put aside their differences with those funny little guys at Tetley and put a joint ad: "Come on guys, we can worry about individual needs later, the main thing is to get people buying tea again. Pomegranates are destroying us! What do you say? The Twinings gang are on board and I'm waiting to hear back from Typhoo."
The only other real example that I am aware of are the ones for flowers, and tulips in particular. There was a few of these a couple of years ago: 'He won't get you any, so buy your own', 'Fresh flowers brighten your home' etc. They seem even more unusual to me - who clubs together to pay for those? What if tulip sales rocket? How will people making their livelihood from roses and begonias fight back? Do the Dutch put in any money? or just reap the benefits?
But my favourite example of nonbrand-specific ads like this can be found adorning the pitch-side hoardings at the home of Fulchester United FC:
10 comments:
You could also draw upon the ads from the Viz... E.g., 'Eat peas', etc.
I also like Banksy's view of defacing advertisements in the public arena. They're shoved in our faces and we don't have a say in it. His view is, we should be able to choose to reject it.
Here's one (and something we've been thinking about for a while). If a driver has an accident through looking at a roadside advertisement - one aimed at capturing drivers' attention - who is culpable?
Ha, good point G. I love those ones in Viz where there'll be a couple of competing ones a few pages apart eg. one like 'Real men eat starters' by the Starters Council for Great Britain followed by 'Make sure you save some room for pudding!' by the Desserts Marketing Board a few pages later.
Quite right re: Banksy. You didn't live in Leeds much as I recall but the ads on Hyde Park Corner were regularly targeted by adbusters. They were always done really cleverly too - subtle changes to the words, using the same font etc. Brilliant.
And an interesting question to finish too. It would certainly be interesting to see someone try and make that case in court...I've been wondering about the all-singing all-dancing electronic ad boards at the side of footy pitches. I'm amazed that no one has suggested that they are a distraction yet.
Yeah but footie has the advertising wound very well into it now, and is a major source of revenue. Playing isn't also what we'd really call a safety-critical task. It IS in a way, but a momentary distraction isn't going to kill you. Given that right combination of (unfortunate) events, that could well happen in driving. The point there is, those adverts (in addition to in-vehicle entertainment systems, etc) are designed with the sole purpose of either capturing or occupying attention. Let's face it, attention and driving tend to go well together...
So Adbusters are a real group then? I do recall seeing one or two actually.... Did they get into trouble or anything?
This is an educated blog and discussion. Akira is missed here.
I wasn't trying to suggest that footy distractions are life-threatening (Ben Thatcher notwithstanding). I totally agree - I did a study for the driving team in Leeds that involved taking a car up the M1 and using a sat-nav/PDO type thing that I had to poke with a stylus at regular intervals. Unbelievable. Every cab I get in now has one and the drivers are constantly poking at them.
I think Adbusters are an American/Canadian group but there are similar-minded groups/individuals all over the place. Leeds Film Festival is approaching - there are always sessions on independent film/anti-consumerism etc. You should look out Reverend Billy (& the Church of Stop Smoking). I've seen 2 of his films at the last 2 LFF. One was at the Common Place in Leeds last year. Strange and interesting place...I probably stood out in my Gap jumper.
There is one really apalling confession and one really interesting description in that last comment.
I assume you mean me in a Gap jumper is appalling. Obviously I can't remember precisely what I was wearing that day but I thought that saying a 'Gap jumper' would give the intended meaning. I do have some Gap items though, yes.
Great post, Prof. Baffling in the extreme. Haven't seen the Hyde Park corner ads artistically altered recently, but am down that way less often nowadays. My local town, when it got billboards (yes, two of them!) would without fail advertise their own billboard space. £25/week, which is a bargain I reckon. Also near my home there's one of those "256 people have been killed on these roads since 2005" type signs, and someone has, indeed, driven into it. The sign is now suitably distracting as you have to arch your head to read it around its banana shape and dent.
Isn't it always Leeds Film Fest? I know that's not at all a bad thing. It's just always on. Like World's Strongest Man.
Yeah, and its always last night of the proms.
I was thinking about distracting signs the other day, as there is a billboard of a lady in bra and pants at a major junction near my flat. On the other hand, the big billboard when coming from the other direction on the carriageway reminds me its my turning coming up- hoorah.
If anyone gets distracted by something so mundane as bra & thraps perhaps they should have a crash... It would be like natural selection for the men that would otherwise walk over sandcastles on the beach whilst ogling girls in bikinis.
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