Next subway stop is TV
Published September 21, 2004
Advertising has now managed to occupy new space in it's quest to never leave us alone - ads will now be placed on the subway tunnels so that people who normally stare out the window with that blank look will now have something to see as they fly by on the subway....
Toronto subway to have ads in tunnels
Next subway stop is TV
TTC also planning ads in tunnels
Monitors in cars to `enhance' ride
KEVIN MCGRAN
TRANSPORTATION REPORTER
Coming soon to a darkened subway tunnel near you: a silent moving picture show.
The folks who sell all the TTC's advertising have figured out how to take the often devastatingly boring subway ride — in which passengers stare blankly out the window and into nothing at all — and turn part of it into a 15-second ad.
By exposing the moving train audience to a series of static images placed on the tunnel walls, Viacom Outdoor Canada figures it can get your attention.
"That's just a neat way of using the space that's there as the riders are riding the rocket," said Nick Arakgi, general manager of Viacom Outdoor Canada.
He likened it to drawing "stick figures on a page, and by flicking a page you create a little moving picture; that's exactly the concept.
"Rather than looking out into a dark expanse, what you're going to get is an advertisement. If you could imagine, a strip of the track is going to have individual pictures. As the subway is riding past, it's going to create that flicking of the page effect."
The tunnel advertising and the coming of TV monitors in subway cars and platforms are two pilot projects the TTC will introduce this fall as it begins to brace for a $5.5 million shortfall in ad revenue.
On Wednesday, the TTC is expected to award Viacom Outdoor Canada a contract that will pay the transit commission a guaranteed minimum of $93.2 million over seven years, the best deal it could get from four bidders vying for exclusive ad-selling rights on the transit system. Viacom's current deal with the TTC expires in December.
While passengers provide the TTC with the lion's share of revenue — about $665 million annually — advertising is the TTC's second biggest revenue generator. This deal represents a drop from $18.2 million to $12.7 million annually from what the TTC currently collects in ad revenue.
- Next subway stop is TV
- Published: September 21, 2004
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- Section: Culture
- Writer: Jason Koulouras
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Comments on this articleComments
The Proprietor, did you have any strong feelings about the project and images or did they just fade into the background for you?
Thanks for posting
Jason
Maybe NYC should consider something like this, if it'll keep the MTA from raising the MetroCard rates AGAIN.
The first couple of times it was a cute novelty, and drew some conversation in the train car, but the novelty went away quickly. The ad campaign itself was unmemorable (I can't remember who the sponsor was); however I think that something akin to the humorous Super Bowl commercials might have a great impact in this venue.
Although it's an interesting thought to try on the NYC subway system, I think the only place it would work would likely be in the East River tunnels. Anyone who rides the Lexington Avenue IRT during rush hour can attest to the sardine can conditions and frequent between station stops of the expresses, thus ruining the effect.
don't they do someting like this in London? Or is the "animation" effect what makes this novel? Did NYC use this effect?
Advertising is speading to every possible purface and venue - look at blogs. When the concept was proposed two years ago it seemed preposterous, but in general, people don't want to pay directly for information and entertainment and advertising is really the only way to subsidize it.
Good points Eric - seems like everyone wants a free ride at the cost of invasion of every nook and cranny with advertising
Thanks for the insight on the experience, The Proprietor
Ryan, my concern with this plan is that it makes it as if everything is for sale and there is no way to get away from the media messages
Cheers
Jason
TTC is one step behind...
There is a system ot there that gives you full-on TV experience; choice of multiple networks to watch and individual AUDIO feed to every person,without creating noise pollution..
...it 'll be massive!
Paul
Add your comment, speak your mind
(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/20069)
The PATH system had similar images on the 6th Avenue portion of the line two years ago. Somewhat interesting in that they didn't try to use them in the Hudson River tunnels for a longer presentation, but it did get a bit of conversation going on the way to Jersey.