The big billboard debate (by Joe)

Having worked for a few years in advertising and specifically issues surrounding advertising regulation, I was fascinated to see this time and again around Sao Paulo: ad billboards stripped bare to their bones (top).

Apparently, it´s the result of new local laws which came into effect in March aimed at reducing the city´s ´visual pollution´. In effect, the laws limit radically the size of advertising hoardings which are deemed not to be ´in the public interest´. Even shops are not exempt and are currently in the process of stripping down all signage over a certain modest size (which certainly makes it hard to tell a chemist from a baker as you pass in a car).

And it´s not an issue exclusive to Sao Paulo - the same discussions are taking place in many cities. For example, in New Zealand we were aware of legislation being drafted which could similarly clear away the vast majority of billboards from its major cities.

Of course there are two sides to the debate. Do advertising hoardings actually make the urban landscape less attractive or do they cover, with colour and often with humour, the sides of otherwise unsightly and little-loved buildings? Interesting place though it is, Sao Paulo is never going to be one of the world´s most beautiful cities - advertising hoardings or not.

Also, who exactly should be trusted to decide what messages are ´in the public interest´ - politicians, regulators? It is certainly a fairly significant power to hand out ...

Whatever the arguments, there are two nail-down certainties from the whole thing:

1) In the UK and Europe, JCDecaux, Maiden and the others will - and should - be taking note.

2) The few Sao Paulo advertisers that are shrewd, brave or stupid enough not to have responded to the new rules will now be achieving a mighy impact with all competitive ´clutter´ cleared. So ´The Producers´ can expect strong audiences, I reckon!! (see left).

Joe