Friday, June 15, 2018
Who would have thought, 100 years after mass production of the automobile, billboards and their progeny would be hot in 2018? They seem to be everywhere from movie screens to art installations (and wooing LeBron James to join the Lakers). And yes, they also advertise goods, services and entertainment in a format that can’t be blocked or turned off; therein lies much of their current appeal. Billboards are a staple of outdoor advertising, (aka “out-of-home media” in the ad world), which is undergoing a digital transformation in all of its forms and locations including ads on transit (shelters, bike share), mobile transit (buses, trains, cabs), street furniture (newsracks, kiosks) and building exteriors. The next generation of the billboard is already in the works.
Why so popular? Digital signs are more profitable than static signs and may allow for the creation of visuals and environments that promote user-generated content that is posted to social media, amplifying the reach of advertisers. So, who decides the rules? Where should digital signs be permitted? How much, how big, how bright? How do cities and neighborhoods benefit? The panel will include a representative from West Hollywood which is currently drafting a Sunset Strip Off-Site Signage policy which will be informed by the Sunset Spectacular Pilot (a creative billboard project), a Consultant who has been integrally involved in the billboard battles, and a representative from the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight which has been a leader in voicing concerns about the negative effects of digital signs. Please join us for this illuminating discussion.
Panelists
Patrick Frank, President of the Coalition to Ban Billboard Blight
Aaron Green, President of The Afriat Consulting Group
Francois Nion, Executive Vice President JCDecaux North America and Co-Managing Director, Outfront/JCDecaux
Bianca Siegl, Long Range and Mobility Planning Manager, City of West Hollywood
Moderator
Clifford Selbert, Co-Founding Partner, Selbert Perkins Design