Gawker
Not content to simply line the subway station entrances, station walls, station signs, and interior of buses and trains with advertisements, New York City transit is reportedly set to enter the final frontier: ads on the outsides of subway trains. They're already testing out the idea with Continental Airlines ads on the 42nd St. shuttle [NYP]. Subway officials think this idea will go great with their existing "brand cars," where one advertiser takes over the interior of a whole car. As terrifying as this practice sounds, we know they need the money. So we'd like to strike a compromise: they're allowed to sell every last inch of the trains to advertisers, but in return they have to bring back this practice:
Comments
There was a time when the Voice considered subway-car graffiti to be the future of American art. Maybe the future is upon us now.
I still think those Cottonelle ads encourage subway shitting. And the bunion surgery ads increase subway vomiting.
Will this encourage people to ride on the outside of trains?
I fully await the Dr. Zizmor Experience train car.
@EleanorRigby: and i've found cottonelle to be a bit abrasive, so it's certainly not what i want to ponder on my commute. i hate those ads. and my brain.
We've had this in Chicago for a while now. It's mega-classy.
Those last 3 pics are kick-ass, but to have a complete return to the '70's we'll need to see some tags on the inside of the cars as well.
They can advertise Monistat for all I care provided they use the money to FIX THE FUCKING TRAINS.
How about an Absolut-sponsored bar car? Bloody marys at morning rush, martinis on the way home. mmmm. martinis.
Have you seen those edge shave commercials with bikini girls shooting fire-hoses of white foam over each other and rubbing on huge over-size hair follicles? Subtle.
My favorite ads are the Service Advisories.
@Cheap Shot: Damn you. You beat me to it.
has anyone checked out HomeboySandman's website yet?
i hear ANDRE 3000 WOULD APPROVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Look for an increase in people jumping in front of the train if they have those Child Protective Services ads on the the outside. No, I am not strong/bold/calm enough to work for Child Protective Services! Please stop asking me!
Next, the MTA will allow pasting little stickers on the rats.
How about talking to Corporate America and getting them to see the wisdom of hiring tag artists for all this advertising?
A win-win, if you ask me. And when the tag artists got bored, they could simply run around late at night slapping up conventional ads.
@SoleilMoonPie: but are you "cool" enough?
No one is going to want their brand associated with the G train. Except maybe a molasses company.
@soybomb: Homeboy Sandman is my main man. Check him out yall:
[www.homeboysandman.com]
@soybomb: No. And most importantly, I'm not good at looking concerned.
And above ground, we can all take heart in Taxi TV and
those really nifty Sleepy's banners hanging from the traffic
lampposts.
Why would anyone want to advertise outside of a train? To brand the cars? So, in other words, if the 4/5/6 becomes the "Continental Airlines" line, I can take my ire out for late/non-existent trains, shoddy service, etc., not only on the MTA, but Continental, too? Excellent!
I think graffiti art would be nice interior decoration for subways, and then they could put the advertisements on the outside.
Now collecting donations to put GET A JOB in giant letters on the outside of the L train.
On the PATH train, there are ads on tunnel walls. They put a bunch in a row, and when the train is going fast, it ends up looking like a flip book, almost like a commercial. It's fucking crazy.
@marvel girl: When I was on the shuttle that connects terminals at some airport in Austria (Vienna? Is it big enough?) they had the same sort of flip-book effect in the train tunnel. Only instead of being some kind of ad it appeared to be simply decorative, a landscape scene of cows softly grazing in an alpine meadow.
As least, I don't think it was an ad. There weren't any words or logos or anything. But: shortly thereafter I experienced the unstoppable compulsion to buy a Nutcracker and a savage quantity of chocolate. So perhaps it wasn't so innocent after all. I'm still buying Milka by the kilo, whenever I can find it.
@Hiphopopotamus: "...AND A HAIRCUT" too, please.
Ah, scenes of my youth.
When I went to Rome in 2002, I was shocked that their Metro still looks like that.
When will they start to make toilet paper with pix of subway trains on it? Or is that too Felini-esque?
And we really don't know if these ads work...seen 'em for years, but I don't buy what they advertise.
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