Vandalism or clever marketing?

by Lisa Reeves

Thursday 19^th August 2010

Thu 19^th Aug 2010

I couldn't help but notice when I went down to the Co-op today that somebody had covered the pavements with adverts promoting their exterior cleaning company.

I saw five of these large adverts on the pavement by the parade and they certainly made an impact. However, I was shocked that a company would resort to what is essentially graffiti in order to promote themselves.

My initial thought was how long do these adverts last? - presumably they eventually get washed away from the rain. Or maybe you have to call the said company out to clean up the adverts themselves!

I've heard a lot of negative comments and concern about the growth of A board advertising, both in Alderley Edge and Wilmslow, but it would seem that the council could now have a whole new form of unconventional marketing to deal with.

Personally I hope this form of guerilla marketing doesn't take off, just imagine if they started using colour adverts.

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Ricky Lee

Thursday 19^th August 2010 at 11:42 pm

I have spotted some of these advert near Nat West.

They should be made to clean the whole street to remove their advert. People can have accident reading the advert whilst walking across the roads.

Lisa Reeves

Sunday 22^nd August 2010 at 1:13 pm

One of our members, has sent me a Tweet saying they think these have been done by jet washing over a template.

I think he's right in which case the adverts will be there for some time - even when the pavement gets dirty the surrounding pavement area will presumably be even dirtier.

Craig Wilson

Monday 23^rd August 2010 at 8:21 am

Its very clever........... how can they get into trouble for cleaning the pavement. I don't think there's a law on this one, even if the cleaning has been done in the shape of letters. Still, it doesn't look great and I don't like it, you could end up with adverts all along the street.

Should call me instead to do the pressure washing ! ;-)

Ricky Lee

Monday 23^rd August 2010 at 9:00 am

Just done some research seems like we going be left with this if no one take action.

http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-news/2009/06/04/birmingham-rep-in-hot-water-over-jet-spray-ad-on-memorial-65233-23788292/

It companies like the one below creates these stencil.
http://www.lasercutit.co.uk/graffiti_stencils.html

I feel it have made our village tacky, imagine a street full of these type of advert! If they say it's not Gaffiti but is just an advert then I think it right for the council to receive rental for the advertising space.

Darren Parkinson

Tuesday 24^th August 2010 at 7:59 am

Can't see any problem with it myself. I passed yesterday and its already started to disappear. No harm done, No expense. These type of adverts have been around for about 10 years in Manchester and the streets aren't full of them there, so what makes you think suddenly the Alderley Edge streets will be full of them?

Ian Daglish

Tuesday 24^th August 2010 at 4:31 pm

As a marketing professional, I many years ago was offered 'supermarket floor advertising' and turned the daft idea down flat. Letting people walk all over my brand was clearly a CLM (=career limiting move).

On the public high street, this is vandalism, nothing less. The perpetrators should be forced to remove them immediately.

Mandy Martinez

Wednesday 25^th August 2010 at 8:12 am

If I remember rightly, when I was marketing director for a weekly magazine in London, we were advised by Westminster and Camden Councils that this type of advertising was illegal, was tantamount to flyposting and would be prosecuted. So, after one or two gos and an injunction, we desisted! It's all well and good when it's a one off, but because it's so easy to do and so cheap it sort of needs to be regulated, hence the flyposting legislation. Having said that though, councils HATE not being able to charge for advertising space on their 'patch', so that's also part of their motivation for getting narked about this kinds of guerilla marketing. x

Stephanie Sankey

Wednesday 25^th August 2010 at 11:01 am

I think it's very clever since it's particularly relevant to his company. He even says Graffiti Cleaning!! LOL
But as Ian says, not every brand wants to be portrayed on the ground and be walked all over, so we're not likely to be invaded any time soon. Chillax people!