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In January 2007, South America’s largest city officially banned outdoor advertising. Billboards, neon signs, bus-stop ads, even the Goodyear blimp - all were suddenly illegal. Folha de Sao Paulo reporter Vinicius Galvao describes seeing his city as though for the first time.
I would have loved to have heard an update on this beautiful utopian vision. Every time I hear about Sao Paolo I sigh and dream- no ads, no buildings wrapped in pictures of cars and deodorant.
So how's utopia holding up down there?
What about at least an attempt at some sort of balance? The interviewee worked for a newspaper - a competitor for advertising space! Of course newspapers (and probably radio networks as well) think banning other forms of advertising is a great idea. Banning outdoor advertising also obviously benefits merchants with good locations on main thorofares at the expense of the small vendors on side streets - and consumers.
I have been a victim of such "public spirited" regulation. When I left a job in manhattan for one in White Plains the average cost of a lunch jumped 50%, even though at the time costs in white plains had to be much lower. The reason - I believe it was because White Plains had banned outdoor food sellers and restricted storefront signage and outdoor advertsiing.
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