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In São Paulo they have the "clean city law"[1] which banned outdoor advertising in 2006. Pretty crazy, here's a flickr gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/t

In São Paulo they have the "clean city law"[1] which banned outdoor advertising in 2006. Pretty crazy, here's a flickr gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonydemarco/sets/72157600075508212/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/tonydemarco/sets/7215760007550... [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cidade_Limpa http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cidade_Limpa

ToastyMallows 12y ago
This is crazy, these pictures look like they're from a dystopian future. Can you imagine if this happened in the U.S.?
- wldcordeiro 12y ago
  It would be amazing, especially if they also tore down all the billboards instead of leaving them up and blank.
  - shiftpgdn 12y ago
    One can dream...
  - Anthony-G 12y ago
    I don't think it’s so bad leaving the blank advertising stands. They act as a reminder for how things used to be. Humans are remarkably adaptable and it’s very easy for us to forget changes in our environment. As an example, my local city council banned HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) from the city centre about 10 years ago and it made a huge difference to quality of life for other road users (particularly pedestrians and cyclists) with regard to noise levels and air quality. However, within a few weeks, most of us just took the change for granted and forgot how bad things used to be. Every so often, I make a conscious effort to remind myself of positive changes that have happened as it’s far too easy to focus only on the negative aspects of one’s current situation. The empty advertising stands serve as visual cues for such appreciation. I’d also add that the bare structures have a certain symbolic value.
    - wldcordeiro 12y ago
      HGV meaning semi-trucks and other CDL class vehicles? Just want to be clear. I wish my city did that, or at least banned the multitrailer trucks where they have 1-2 more trailers attached.
      - Anthony-G 12y ago
        I had to look up those terms. We use different terminology in Ireland but it looks like we're talking about the same class of vehicles (also generally referred to as articulated lorries [1]) The ban[2] specifically refers to trucks with 5 axles or more and proscribes them from entering the city centre between 7am and 7pm. Previously, there was a large amount of trucks driving through main thoroughfares to access Dublin Port but before introducing the ban, the local authorities finished constructing a tunnel and motorway to bypass the city so the truck drivers have viable alternative routes. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_goods_vehicle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_goods_vehicle [2] http://www.dublincity.ie/hgv http://www.dublincity.ie/hgv
- apt-bunt 12y ago
  I can remember this technology being used on rap videos from the early to mid 1990s.
- scott_karana 12y ago
  Some might say it looks like a utopian future :)
  - TeMPOraL 12y ago
    Exactly. I live in a place with a bit less ad clutter than usual, so it's the US cities that look dystopian to me :).
  - ToastyMallows 12y ago
    Point well taken! It would be nice to live in that city I must admit :)
- hellbanner 12y ago
  Yeah, US drivers wouldn't get distracted by flashing billboards.
- sosborn 12y ago
  Most forms of outdoor advertising are banned in Hawai‘i.
- maxerickson 12y ago
  In addition to the already mentioned Hawaii, there are already other limitations on billboards in the US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard#Laws_limiting_billboards http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard#Laws_limiting_billboa...
  - brightsize 12y ago
    Correct. I grew up in Vermont. No billboards allowed and the State will come after you if you try to get funny about it and test the limits.
Alupis 12y ago
Is a company's name on their building really considered advertising? I mean, if I owned a nice building for my company, I'd take pride in having our name on the front.
- pbhjpbhj 12y ago
  What's the purpose of putting the company name on there. If it's to solely to allow people to find it then that's not advertising - if it's to say "look how awesome this building is and it's our companies" then that's advertising IMO.
  - Alupis 12y ago
    > What's the purpose of putting the company name on there. Well, for the owner's it's a sense of pride over all the hard work they've gone through to get to the point of being able to put their business name on the wall. Why do people buy flashy sports cars? To show off success. I don't think having a name on a building like "SomeGuy's Sawmill" is really an advert, if anything, it's a brand. Not to mention, say you're trying to find a location like the closest clothing store, or restaurant. How will you locate it (or the right one) if every building is just plain and looks exactly the same?
    - pbhjpbhj 12y ago
      There's a difference between having a sign at street level for passers-by and having a neon sign that fills half your building though. No-one is saying you can't have a nice sports car, nor that you can't be proud of it - here they're saying that you can't put spotlights on it and erect a hoarding saying "I'm awesome, look this is my car", just park it on the street like everyone else. How will you locate a building. Numbers, street names - map or GPS : those are the usual way.
      - Alupis 12y ago
        > How will you locate a building. Numbers, street names - map or GPS : those are the usual way. That would only work if you knew ahead of time you were specifically looking for that particular location. There's been plenty of times I've driven by some place and decided to go take a peek inside just based on their name alone.
kansface 12y ago
This also made the city incredibly hard for me to navigate about a decade ago (no smart phone).
grecy 12y ago
New Zealand has a similar law - you can't advertise on a building unless you own it and use it.. i.e. Coke can put a coke sign on their own building, but nowhere else. It's beautiful.
- mkingston 12y ago
  I'm confused about this. NZ has billboards. I'm not sure exactly what you're comparing with. Do companies elsewhere just "tag" their names indiscriminately? I haven't noticed any differences between the UK and NZ in this regard.
beagle90 12y ago
Seeing a city like that was so refreshing, it must be nice to live somewhere your attention isn't constantly pulled here and there, and where a sense of want is re-enforced every time you lift your head.

ToastyMallows 12y ago

This is crazy, these pictures look like they're from a dystopian future. Can you imagine if this happened in the U.S.?

wldcordeiro 12y ago
It would be amazing, especially if they also tore down all the billboards instead of leaving them up and blank.
- shiftpgdn 12y ago
  One can dream...
- Anthony-G 12y ago
  I don't think it’s so bad leaving the blank advertising stands. They act as a reminder for how things used to be. Humans are remarkably adaptable and it’s very easy for us to forget changes in our environment. As an example, my local city council banned HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) from the city centre about 10 years ago and it made a huge difference to quality of life for other road users (particularly pedestrians and cyclists) with regard to noise levels and air quality. However, within a few weeks, most of us just took the change for granted and forgot how bad things used to be. Every so often, I make a conscious effort to remind myself of positive changes that have happened as it’s far too easy to focus only on the negative aspects of one’s current situation. The empty advertising stands serve as visual cues for such appreciation. I’d also add that the bare structures have a certain symbolic value.
  - wldcordeiro 12y ago
    HGV meaning semi-trucks and other CDL class vehicles? Just want to be clear. I wish my city did that, or at least banned the multitrailer trucks where they have 1-2 more trailers attached.
    - Anthony-G 12y ago
      I had to look up those terms. We use different terminology in Ireland but it looks like we're talking about the same class of vehicles (also generally referred to as articulated lorries [1]) The ban[2] specifically refers to trucks with 5 axles or more and proscribes them from entering the city centre between 7am and 7pm. Previously, there was a large amount of trucks driving through main thoroughfares to access Dublin Port but before introducing the ban, the local authorities finished constructing a tunnel and motorway to bypass the city so the truck drivers have viable alternative routes. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_goods_vehicle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_goods_vehicle [2] http://www.dublincity.ie/hgv http://www.dublincity.ie/hgv
apt-bunt 12y ago
I can remember this technology being used on rap videos from the early to mid 1990s.
scott_karana 12y ago
Some might say it looks like a utopian future :)
- TeMPOraL 12y ago
  Exactly. I live in a place with a bit less ad clutter than usual, so it's the US cities that look dystopian to me :).
- ToastyMallows 12y ago
  Point well taken! It would be nice to live in that city I must admit :)
hellbanner 12y ago
Yeah, US drivers wouldn't get distracted by flashing billboards.
sosborn 12y ago
Most forms of outdoor advertising are banned in Hawai‘i.
maxerickson 12y ago
In addition to the already mentioned Hawaii, there are already other limitations on billboards in the US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard#Laws_limiting_billboards http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard#Laws_limiting_billboa...
- brightsize 12y ago
  Correct. I grew up in Vermont. No billboards allowed and the State will come after you if you try to get funny about it and test the limits.

Alupis 12y ago

Is a company's name on their building really considered advertising? I mean, if I owned a nice building for my company, I'd take pride in having our name on the front.

pbhjpbhj 12y ago
What's the purpose of putting the company name on there. If it's to solely to allow people to find it then that's not advertising - if it's to say "look how awesome this building is and it's our companies" then that's advertising IMO.
- Alupis 12y ago
  > What's the purpose of putting the company name on there. Well, for the owner's it's a sense of pride over all the hard work they've gone through to get to the point of being able to put their business name on the wall. Why do people buy flashy sports cars? To show off success. I don't think having a name on a building like "SomeGuy's Sawmill" is really an advert, if anything, it's a brand. Not to mention, say you're trying to find a location like the closest clothing store, or restaurant. How will you locate it (or the right one) if every building is just plain and looks exactly the same?
  - pbhjpbhj 12y ago
    There's a difference between having a sign at street level for passers-by and having a neon sign that fills half your building though. No-one is saying you can't have a nice sports car, nor that you can't be proud of it - here they're saying that you can't put spotlights on it and erect a hoarding saying "I'm awesome, look this is my car", just park it on the street like everyone else. How will you locate a building. Numbers, street names - map or GPS : those are the usual way.
    - Alupis 12y ago
      > How will you locate a building. Numbers, street names - map or GPS : those are the usual way. That would only work if you knew ahead of time you were specifically looking for that particular location. There's been plenty of times I've driven by some place and decided to go take a peek inside just based on their name alone.

kansface 12y ago

This also made the city incredibly hard for me to navigate about a decade ago (no smart phone).

grecy 12y ago

New Zealand has a similar law - you can't advertise on a building unless you own it and use it.. i.e. Coke can put a coke sign on their own building, but nowhere else. It's beautiful.

mkingston 12y ago
I'm confused about this. NZ has billboards. I'm not sure exactly what you're comparing with. Do companies elsewhere just "tag" their names indiscriminately? I haven't noticed any differences between the UK and NZ in this regard.

beagle90 12y ago

Seeing a city like that was so refreshing, it must be nice to live somewhere your attention isn't constantly pulled here and there, and where a sense of want is re-enforced every time you lift your head.