Journalism, Broadcasting, and Multimedia Marketing Communications

[sugarboy]

So, what have we to say about the growing number of bilboards in the Metro Manila area? Are they boon or bane?

[Culiat]

Hmmm... I'm exicted with this thread

[bagel]

I think they are a bit excessive nowadays. I don't mind seeing a fair amount of advertising-- taken in an abstract sense, they make the landscape colorful. However, they're just everywhere now... even street signs. (No Parking, brought to you by Hapee Toothpaste).

I would prefer that they be limited to particular locations (as Mayor Binay in Makati is now trying to do). In fact, I'd prefer that they don't do LRT wraps either (as I've said in the past in other threads) simply because there has to be a place somewhere where we don't see ads and it's getting harder to recognize actual public services. No wonder Bayani Fernando is using bright pink for his public services-- to distinguish them from the din and chaos of excessive advertising..

[ryanr]

I agree with boybaha. Having some colorful advertising billboards is ok, it makes the city look more lively. But having an excessive number of them such as the ones in Guadalupe, Makati is too much... For one, it could cause traffic accidents from drivers looking at them. Second, they obstruct the view of the skyline Third, sometimes they make the roadside look ugly.

One thing i disagree with boybaha are the advertising wraps on MRT trains. I actually like them, they make the trains look more individualised and unique.

[bustero]

in a sense excessive ardervtising will be regulated by the market, if there's too much advertising, then the message will surely get lost, if it's in a quiet residential area no one will see it, hence you will not see signs of any sort in bedroom communities. At this point in time this industry is now consolidating with because of the huge amount of "spectaculars" - the 100-200 foot billboards along the key roads( too much supply) thus even at this point billbaords are becoming less.

i remember the case in jakarta about 10 years back when they had a huge billboard of nadya hutagalong the gourgeous mtv vj, and the authorities took the billboard down because it was actually shown to cause accidents (as claimed by people who were in or caused the accident - they look at her and get mesmerized by her smile or something like that)

In france they actually don't allow billboards along their highways as the authorities claim it causes accidents - there have been several studies on both sides showing it 's either safe or unsafe. For a while the NLEX was not to have any but in the end the billboards are actually outside their zones and they need every cent of revenue they can get.

Many cities, specially 24/7 ones like ours, are of course dense and media intense, certain areas are always full of media (billboards, signage, etc). In general asians like this quite a bit. For one thing billboards brighten up a place substantially, very evident here where the governtment actually is quite remiss in lightening up roads in many places. The safety associated by this is welcome. Additionally filipinos in general like very colorful mixmash designs (e.g. jeepney) so they actually look at ginza or hk as models of what they like in urban areas in general, madaming tao, maliwanag, masaya. So In general though many filipinos like billboard ads in the city.

[renell]

it's boon in the metro i supposed, since billboards are associated with urban surroundings don't mind limits though.

to those who like me lack depth in the english language
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=boon
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bane

[IsaganiZenze]

totally bane: Yes, I agree quite excessive. Most of the billboards are not that appealing anways (no offense). They should make it more structured, stream-lined, and organized. It looks so messy at a few photos i've seen. We are being recognized for them though, not sure for possitive or negative reasons though. Oh yeah, they should make it digital or something, that would so be cool, pictures, and videos, that would be cool (maybe just in the "downtown" area, expensive and not practical by the way), but cool nonetheless!

[bagel]

I think we should have honest billboards or billboards that say silly things.

Examples of honest:
SEX (with a picture of perfume)
ADDICTION (with a picture of a cigarette)
CAFFEINE (with a picture of a coffee cup)

or Examples of silly:
A blue billboard that just says "BLUE."
A wrapped LRT train that says "CHOO CHOO.... CHUGALUGA CHOO"
A giant billboard over Guadalupe that says "UTOT."

Then I think I wouldn't mind them so much.

[ryanr]

I dont get the last one...why utot?

[bagel]

I don't get it either. It's 2 AM. Sorry for spamming.

[renell]

Digital sounds cool.. but wouldn't it be more dangerous?

utot doesn't make sense to me either

[ike]

Originally Posted by boybaha

Examples of honest:
SEX (with a picture of perfume)
ADDICTION (with a picture of a cigarette)
CAFFEINE (with a picture of a coffee cup)

or Examples of silly:
A blue billboard that just says "BLUE."
A giant billboard over Guadalupe that says "UTOT."

those are pretty artsy! I'm sure there's at least a handful of pop-artists thinking of doing that. and...hmmm maybe the Utot because of the smell of Pasig river...?
As for digital billboards, well, didn't those giant video screens (MEDIATRON, I believe) count as digital? I remember there was one at the corner of EDSA and Ortigas when the old Tropical Hut supermarket was still there. There was also one in the parking lot on the EDSA side of Megamall. On the SLEX I think there was one as you approached the toll plaza, just before you cross the runway's flightpath.

[kiretoce]

How far off into the future do you think when we'll have the technology to personalize ads and billboards like the ones in the movie "Minority Report" (starring Tom Cruise)? In the movie, Cruise's character walks into a GAP store in a mall and an optical scanner scans his eyes and automatically shows him ads of the latest merchandise that he (the buyer) likes.

I saw a report on CNN sometime ago that they're testing that concept now, but this is done on a freeway where a scanner scans vehicles driving through and further down the highway a billboard changes ads that pertains to a certain type of person driving that particular car, van, truck or SUV. So if you drive a BMW or Lexus for example, and you pass the scanner, the billboard will show you ads from high-end or upscale merchants. While a driver of a minivan or stationwagon will see ads for family friendly products and merchandise.

[sugarboy]

Just filling you in on the latest from Makati City Hall...


MAKATI SUSPENDS INDEFINITELY, CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF BILLBOARDS

The city government of Makati is set to impose in February an indefinite moratorium on the construction and installation of billboards in the city, Makati Mayor Jejomar C. Binay said today.

Binay said the suspension will pave the way for the drafting of the Makati Billboard Masterplan, which will identify the areas where billboards may be allowed.

The move was prompted by the need to stop the indiscriminate proliferation of billboards in areas within the city where they pose serious hazards to public safety and order.

Under Ordinance No. 2004-A-028, the moratorium on billboard construction and installation will remain in force until lifted by the city through a subsequent ordinance. The ordinance takes effect 15 days after its publication in a local newspaper. The Office of the City Secretary said the ordinance will be published by mid-January.

Violators of the ordinance will be fined P5,000 for each day of violation, and will be required to remove the billboard immediately at their own expense.

The city’s Makati Zoning Board of Adjustment Appeals and the Urban Development Department (UDD) recommended the moratorium, citing the need for a Billboard Masterplan “to address the problem of proliferation of billboards in supposedly restricted areas in the interest of public policy, public safety, public order and general safety.”

Recently, the city imposed a ban on billboards with nude or scantily-clad models in objectionable or sexually suggestive poses.

City Ordinance No. 2004-A-021 requires advertisers to submit to the city government designs for the billboards, to be approved based on guidelines that ban total or partial nudity deemed objectionable, as well as sexually suggestive poses.

A billboard ad without the required special permit shall be ordered removed immediately by the city government at the expense of its owner or advertiser, who will also be liable to pay a fine of P5,000.00 for each day of unauthorized posting.

[rmb]

IMO, it's a boon for billboard owners and the public as well since there will be a power of choice BUT as the saying goes, too much is bad enough. There should be a regulation on billboards. Billboards must be placed in the right places and there must a sense of QUALITY and not QUANTITY.

[ewh1]

I wish instead of Billboards the Advertising owners instead put Huge LCD Screens and have those attacted to buildings and such.... it reduces the Cheapness..

[mhe-ann]

Originally Posted by kiretoce

How far off into the future do you think when we'll have the technology to personalize ads and billboards like the ones in the movie "Minority Report" (starring Tom Cruise)? In the movie, Cruise's character walks into a GAP store in a mall and an optical scanner scans his eyes and automatically shows him ads of the latest merchandise that he (the buyer) likes.

I saw a report on CNN sometime ago that they're testing that concept now, but this is done on a freeway where a scanner scans vehicles driving through and further down the highway a billboard changes ads that pertains to a certain type of person driving that particular car, van, truck or SUV. So if you drive a BMW or Lexus for example, and you pass the scanner, the billboard will show you ads from high-end or upscale merchants. While a driver of a minivan or stationwagon will see ads for family friendly products and merchandise.

yeah, I saw that movie...amazing and unbelievable.
anyway, that's interesting.

[pau_p1]

I'd say... that billboards are ok, the ads on the MRT is ok... but what I don't like is that there are some billboards or ads that are put in the middle or side of the streets that actually block the traffic signs...

[bagel]

Originally Posted by mhe-ann

yeah, I saw that movie...amazing and unbelievable.
anyway, that's interesting.

First off, I certainly would not want to be tracked that way. I'm trying to shape my life so that I don't see ads and don't buy into ads. That would be a nightmare for me... As far as I'm concerned the less frequently commercial outfits colonize my mind the better. Although here's the hypocritical part: marketing works on me. Perhaps that's why I don't want to see ads.

[mhe-ann]

^ ahh, I see.