New York, Brought to You by . . .

[Khephra]

New York, Brought to You by . . .
City Seeks to Raise Revenue by Selling Public Spaces to Advertisers; Kiosks, Subway Stations Targeted

By Michelle García

Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, December 7, 2003; Page A03


NEW YORK

The Brooklyn Bridge hasn't been renamed the Brooklyn Lager Bridge, and Lady Liberty doesn't clench a Coke -- at least not yet.

But New York has embarked on a far-reaching corporate branding campaign. Faced with a $3.8 billion budget deficit last year, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R) set about selling public spaces and images to the highest bidder. Tax increases and belt tightening balanced this year's budget without help from the selling campaign, but the city faces another budget deficit next year, and New Yorkers now confront the consequences of the impending deals.

Officials plan to tear down hundreds of venerable green plywood newsstands and erect plastic kiosks swaddled with ads. Clear Channel Communications Inc. is installing high-resolution advertising screens in 100 subway stations. Bus stations and public toilets will feature coordinated ad campaigns for jeans, burgers and six varieties of underwear. The city's 25,000 trash cans are being eyed for their advertising space. And the Brooklyn Botanic Garden now has a less-than-bucolic-sounding Con Edison Pond, not to mention the Mitsubishi Wild Wetland Trail.

"We need to capture the brand that allows the corporate partners to talk about the city in an authentic way," said Joseph Perello, the city's first-ever marketing director.

more........

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41783-2003Dec6.html

[Bob3]

1. Mike's a ceo - everything is for sale in his mind

I really really hate living in a society where money is the most important thing in the world.

bleh.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. And whattayaknow... Clear Channel's involved.

Toeing the repug line paid off for them - it sounds like they got the subway advertising contract.

[54anickel]

3. I'd kinda like to see Preparation-H ad on Shrubs limo.