Billboards

[|Billboard Concept Map FINAL1.pdf]

[|kristinaferorell_visualessay.pdf]

__**Research Statement**__ I intend to explore the outdoor advertising aspect of billboards where their use brings into question whether they provide efficient and effective means for mass advertising or result in the poor use of public space.

__**Background**__ The public space I will focus on for the aforementioned topic will include any outdoor grounds in which billboards are likely to be positioned within the Greater Toronto Area. Much of the field research will be conducted in downtown Toronto as the purpose of billboards is to target a mass of people and because downtown Toronto is considered to be a tourist attraction this will allow me to obtain an excellent observation on the various characteristics and positioning of billboards.

__**Critical Position**__ It appears the issue of placing billboards in a public space has become controversial in the sense that people raise concerns about them based on aesthetic grounds or the fact that they are poorly situated within the city. The fact of the matter remains that these points are irrelevant to the actual use and purpose of billboards and do not address any reasons as to whether they should or should not exist. As a result, my critical stance on this issue reflects the notion that billboards are an element of the advertising industry and just like we are subject to other forms of ads whether outdoor or indoor, billboards can be positioned on the same scale as far as right or wrong goes. There are definitely positives and negatives surrounding the issue however, the bottom line comes down to the fact that billboards, in recent years have become so much more than in the eyes of some, awkward signs. There is much you can learn about our city just through these billboards as they have become informative while at the same time possess marketing strategies. They are a great way to find out about the city’s latest happenings from politics to entertainment while providing a sense of character to the city.

__**Data Collection**__ //**Method of field research..**// observations from all around including anywhere from the core of downtown Toronto, to North York, Brampton, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill. Photos were taken in these aforementioned areas. Other methods of research include articles, and websites.

//**Documentation..**// [|Billboard Concept Map Rough.pdf]

[|Billboard Brainstorming.pdf]

Flickr Account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/13958728@N04/

Since Flickr only allowed me to upload about 50 photos due to account restrictions I have uploaded two pdf's below of the remaining photos I took during my field research. The photos are arranged in sequential order from when they were taken. You will notice a series of pictures taken on a highway where one picture is literally taken seconds after the other, the highway being the Gardiner expressway. What’s interesting to note is the amount of billboards that come into view while driving during that route. Another thing to note is that the pictures taken during the day have been taken from a driver’s perspective so this demonstrates the driver’s or passenger’s viewpoint of billboards and how quickly a message must be conveyed in order for the viewer to comprehend or take away a specified meaning. If merely taking a picture within this circumstance was difficult, imagine how effective an ad needs to be to capture the viewers attention.

[|Billboard Pictures2.pdf] [|Billboard Pictures.pdf]

__**Opportunities**__ • How do billboards in various other countries differ from the ones here in Toronto? • What are the required procedures and steps needed to properly produce and place a billboard in a location? • Can billboards become more of a means for conveying city information rather than a bulk of ads? • Are the bylaws being set in place for the placements of billboards being properly implemented? • How effective are billboards in comparison to other outdoor advertising methods?

__**Resources**__
 * http://www.billboardom.blogspot.com/
 * http://www.brokenpencil.com/features/feature.php?featureid=39
 * http://www.stayfreemagazine.org/admap/howardgossage.html
 * http://articles.directorym.com/Outdoor_Advertising-a143.html#50048
 * http://illegalsigns.ca/
 * [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billboard_(advertising)]