Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Empty Billboard - No Logo Buenos Aires?

Empty Billboard Structure on Top of a Building in Buenos Aires, Argentina
After the Brazilian city of São Paulo has created precedents in 2006 with banning all outdoor advertising, including shop fronts, the debate spilled over to Argentina. The city of Buenos Aires has considered a similar measure to reduce visual pollution and thereby making the public landscape more enjoyable. Since then BsAs is keeping an eye on outdoor advertisements especially those infracting the city's new advertising codex. In 2008 it was decided to remove 40,000 illegal signs and billboards which is roughly 60% of the total amount of advertising signs and posters. So, is this empty billboard structure at the top of the building a sign of things to come?
Would you support an outdoor advertising ban in your city?

11 comments:

stromsjo said...

Interesting. Advertising is a good thing but it shouldn't be allowed just anyhow and anywhere. The market economy with all its limitations has served us well so I can't see the point in a complete ban. Can you?

Stefan Jansson said...

Oh, yes I really dislike most advertising, although I enjoy emailing companies whenever I notice bad or incorrect spelling.

Lowell said...

Take 'em all down! They are a nuisance and a danger for drivers...but take 'em down, don't leave monstrosities like this standing!

Yikes!

As I recall, Seattle, Washington has not allowed billboards for many years...what a pleasure it was to ride in from the airport and to be able to enjoy the greenery without all those ugly signs!

Andreea said...

I would definitely vote for banning most of the advertising that is plaguing my city today. Especially since they use mostly big banners suspended on the outside walls which obscure most of the city's facades. In the beginning it was ok, because they used to place them on buildings in need of renovation but now I see them everywhere, even on historical buildings which have just been renovated. I don't have anything against advertising in general but when it's too much it gets tiring.

Leif Hagen said...

Less is more! Sometimes the billboards are entertaining and sometimes annoying!

I think I'm going to email Steffe every time he has misspelled English words - since I am a former English teacher!

Ciao bella!

Mirela said...

I'd remove billboards, but only if they also removed metal construction and not leave it as in the photo. This looks terrible, I'm surprised no one has bothered to yell at whomever is responsible...

@ Jacob - I've seen billboards in Seattle, but only on buildings and in the city (downtown). There are a few also in residential neighborhoods (there was one very near my apartment - I lived in U.district), but not too large. But you're right, they tend to put green trees ahead of many things and I loved it :)

B SQUARED said...

Definitely! Nothing destroys the urban experience like eye pollution.

Marie-Noyale said...

Very hard to imagine Broadway without the billboard signs!!!!!

EG CameraGirl said...

We already have a partial ban in Toronto. Anything beyond a certain size, for instance, gets taken down. I think advertising has gotten totally out of hand,

AB said...

Now if they could only ban all forms of advertising!

Wolynski said...

Great photo of a very ugly thing. Yes, banning billboards would be great, but not in Vegas - it's one big visual excess anyway.