Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

French cities trying to ban public adverts

theguardian.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

101–110 of 140 posts

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#101

Post by anoncake »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #72
TeMPOraL wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would like to see all three of your examples banned as well, because they're not statements of fact, they're opinions, of the kind you'd typically find in an ad today. Useful listings of facts look like this: - is carbonated (therefore acidic, refreshing, negatively impacting teeth) - has x mg sugar per 100ml (therefore energizing to some extent, promoting weight gain) - has x mg of caffeine per 100ml (therefore ener…

> they're not statements of fact, they're opinions At this point, you need a federal bureaucracy policing practically all retail commercial speech.

It can't be more wasteful than the ad businesses we have now.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#102

Post by anoncake »

AnthonyMouse wrote: post #97
TeMPOraL wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Advertising indeed seems to give an edge to newcomers over the incumbents, but those same "little guys" would need to advertise less if everyone's attention wasn't already saturated by everyone else's ads. Everyone is still wasting money; new players just waste less.

The question is, if you got rid of advertising, how do the customers find out about a new product from a new business?

Newspapers, magazines etc. Basically however they want.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#103

Post by oska »

mr_custard wrote: post #32

Quite simply, advertising is visual pollution; whether it be on large billboards, on bus stops or freestanding in the middle of the sidewalk. It's visual pollution and it has ruined our towns and cities. I'm excited to read this article and see that people are taking a stand.

It's mental pollution as well.

I don't see any need or moral justification for push advertising, i.e. showing advertising to people who are not looking for a certain service or product. Fine to have directories for services and products that people are actively looking for and thus choose to actively view. Not fine to push advertising on people who are not actively looking for any such services and products. I would very happily support a ban on advertising in all public spaces.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#104

Post by oska »

notaregular wrote: post #59
jeffrallen wrote: post #30

In Lausanne, we have "le pub vous faites de-penser" stickers on many billboards. Translation: Advertising makes you de-think (a pun on "spend")

But also most of the billboards are ads for cultural events, theatre, city-organised events, museums etc. I quite like that actually, where else would I find about some shows or things to do.

> I quite like that actually, where else would I find about some shows or things to do.

How about in a free magazine which advertises all such events? Or a website that does similar? Also listings of "What's On" in more general media.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#105

Post by oska »

BurningFrog wrote: post #37

OK, I'll make the case for ads: Ads are disruptive. They allow new businesses to break into markets owned by old dominant suppliers. This way they keep the market healthy and serving consumers. Based on that, you'd expect anti-ad initiatives to be aligned with powerful established industries. Not that I know how to confirm or refute that.

> They allow new businesses to break into markets owned by old dominant suppliers.

Tesla broke into the automotive market - one of the most resistant markets to new entries - without doing any advertising. (Tesla does do marketing but it doesn't do advertising).

Genuinely new and innovative products and services generate their own buzz. They don't need to advertise. Meanwhile the old dominant suppliers often run advertising campaigns that pretend that their new product offering is revolutionary or innovative when it's nearly always just a gimmick or some old product that's been 'futured' up.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#106

Post by oska »

asiachick wrote: post #99

one reason I love living in Asia the shear amount of advertising is far more interesting to walk around than say Irving California which is basically Speilberg-esch E.T. suburbia.

Question: can you read the advertising (i.e. read the native language)? Because for me at least, chinese & japanese advertising can look 'picturesque' but I think I would feel differently if I could actually read the banal messages that are undoubtedly being pushed.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#107

Post by bananamerica »

sosborn wrote: post #11
ajna91 wrote: post #9

I think in the near future we'll have empirical evidence that most ads are malicious exploits of flaws in human psychology. Ideally, all ads should be plain text listing of facts. Pictures only allowed for demonstrative purposes. And they should be listed in "Ad sections", like a phone book.

> plain text listing of facts Coca-Cola tastes great! Coca-Cola gives you an extra pep in your step! Coca-Cola will rot you teeth! These are all true statements (the first one is subjective, I'll admit), but I suspect that many believe the effect of plain test listing of facts would only allow the third statement. > Pictures only allowed for demonstrative purposes. Wouldn't a photo of someone drinking a Coke and enjo…

I think what he/she meant that there should be no persuasive language. The examples you gave are persuasive in nature.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#108

Post by LeftHandPath »

i2amsam wrote: post #52
Twirrim wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hawaii has a similar ban in place too. It's so nice not being bombarded by billboards in your day-to-day life. Definitely one of the things I've missed since moving from there.

Vermont as well. Really noticeable when you drive on the highway, much more relaxing and scenic.

Just realized that my current state (Kansas) doesn't really have much in the way of roadside billboards. Never thought about it before.

But it does help take in the views, a lot more so than, say, the highways of Florida.

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#109

Post by basicplus2 »

docdeek wrote: post #13

In Lyon the public ad space was traded to an ad company in exchange for funding and maintaining the city's public bike share scheme. It's a trade off, of course, but for just 30 euros à year I (and the rest of the city) get virtually unlimited bike share. The anti-ad groups here would be happy for the public ads to disappear but it would be a real shame if the affordable bike share went with it. FWIW there is a real…

This is what taxes are for.. ban advertising, increase taxes on these companies, and pay for the bikes with taxes

Re: French cities trying to ban public adverts

#110

Post by AnthonyMouse »

anoncake wrote: post #102
AnthonyMouse wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The question is, if you got rid of advertising, how do the customers find out about a new product from a new business?

Newspapers, magazines etc. Basically however they want.

Those are just other forms of advertising, and the entire print industry is dying anyway. Where's the real answer?
Post reply on HN