Another 'illegal' Apple iPod touch billboard comes under scrutiny

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
A massive "supergraphic" billboard for the iPod touch in Los Angeles, Calif., will come down soon, as the 11-story Apple advertisement has been defined as illegal by the city due to safety concerns.



The giant advertisement for the iPod touch at 1205 N. Highland Ave. reportedly broke free in a wind storm last October, bringing the massive display crashing to the ground, according to the Los Angeles Times. The billboard, placed for Apple through CBS Outdoor, reads "More games. More fun."



CBS Outdoor told city officials last week that it will remove two advertisements, at least one of which is the iPod touch billboard. The company's decision was provoked by the city attorney's office, which issued a cease-and-desist letter.



Removal of the sign may not bring the end of problems for CBS Outdoor, however. City officials said that the advertising company could still be held responsible for the amount of time that the advertisements were displayed. What role, if any, Apple could play in matter is unknown.



The efforts are part of a continuing crackdown in Los Angeles against "supergraphics." In the last few months, illegal signs have been removed and one person even did three days of jail time for posting advertisements that were not permitted. In addition to safety concerns, the signs are considered by some locals to be an eyesore.



Credit: Google Maps.



Last year, another giant iPod touch advertisement came under scrutiny in Boston. The banner became a factor in a political controversy when it was revealed that a top campaign aide to the city's mayor assisted in the permitting process an acquaintance who had donated money to the mayor's campaigns.



Last November, the controversial billboard was removed without explanation. The 13,750-square-foot advertisement had been in place since the fall of 2007. The companies behind the Boston billboard previously agreed to pay $110,000 for a settlement -- the largest known payment for any such advertising dispute -- in June, in order to allow the sign to remain.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 56
    sajsaj Posts: 19member
    Its very big amount for this !!
  • Reply 2 of 56
    iansilviansilv Posts: 283member
    It's a good think that California polices this stuff, but can't get their shit together and setup a decent train system in Southern California...
  • Reply 3 of 56
    benicebenice Posts: 382member
    It's more than a safety issue. I'm a bit torn by this. I firmly believe private owners ought use buildings efficiently and ads here and there are fine.



    But it's a bit excessive sometimes.



    The average person gets exposed to 600 outdoor adverts a day, which crowds out the beauty of other things in town (the amenity of a place), and fills our brain with unnecessary noise.



    On advertising generally, do we really need to read about insurance products 50 times today if we're not in the market for any?
  • Reply 4 of 56
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    It is about time printed signs were replaced by some futuristic holographic projection system, this is the 21st Century after all Maybe admob will make one where we all see a different one depending on our purchasing history (linked to that chip in our neck of course)!
  • Reply 5 of 56
    zindakozindako Posts: 468member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by iansilv View Post


    It's a good think that California polices this stuff, but can't get their shit together and setup a decent train system in Southern California...



    Don't California have more important things to worry about? a destroyed local economy, highest unemployment rate in the nation, one of the highest fiscal debt in the nation, do they really have this much leisure time and resources to worry about a billboard?
  • Reply 6 of 56
    Why is it that every headline on every article on your site starts with a negative sinister cut at Apple? If there are problems with billboards in LA or Boston or elsewhere, it is an issue with the outdoor ad company and the city's zoning officials. But you want to make it sound like "evil Apple and Steve Jobs" are killing people with giant iPods. If CBS outdoors is putting up illegal signs, the story is about them, not Apple. But that doesn't fit your bias.





    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    A massive "supergraphic" billboard for the iPod touch in Los Angeles, Calif., will come down soon, as the 11-story Apple advertisement has been defined as illegal by the city due to safety concerns.



    The giant advertisement for the iPod touch at 1205 N. Highland Ave. reportedly broke free in a wind storm last October, bringing the massive display crashing to the ground, according to the Los Angeles Times. The billboard, placed for Apple through CBS Outdoor, reads "More games. More fun."



    CBS Outdoor told city officials last week that it will remove two advertisements, at least one of which is the iPod touch billboard. The company's decision was provoked by the city attorney's office, which issued a cease-and-desist letter.



    Removal of the sign may not bring the end of problems for CBS Outdoor, however. City officials said that the advertising company could still be held responsible for the amount of time that the advertisements were displayed. What role, if any, Apple could play in matter is unknown.



    The efforts are part of a continuing crackdown in Los Angeles against "supergraphics." In the last few months, illegal signs have been removed and one person even did three days of jail time for posting advertisements that were not permitted. In addition to safety concerns, the signs are considered by some locals to be an eyesore.



    Credit: Google Maps.



    Last year, another giant iPod touch advertisement came under scrutiny in Boston. The banner became a factor in a political controversy when it was revealed that a top campaign aide to the city's mayor assisted in the permitting process an acquaintance who had donated money to the mayor's campaigns.



    Last November, the controversial billboard was removed without explanation. The 13,750-square-foot advertisement had been in place since the fall of 2007. The companies behind the Boston billboard previously agreed to pay $110,000 for a settlement -- the largest known payment for any such advertising dispute -- in June, in order to allow the sign to remain.



  • Reply 7 of 56
    woohoo!woohoo! Posts: 291member
    I think Apple pushed themselves too far with their luxury cult product hype during the roaring credit bubble economy that the obvious backlash has occurred.



    Every action has a opposite and equal reaction.
  • Reply 8 of 56
    zindakozindako Posts: 468member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Woohoo! View Post


    I think Apple pushed themselves too far with their luxury cult product hype during the roaring credit bubble economy that the obvious backlash has occurred.



    Ever action has a opposite and equal reaction.



    Can someone translate what this guy just said?
  • Reply 9 of 56
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    In addition to safety concerns, the signs are considered by some locals to be an eyesore.



    Becaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuse, LA has eliminated all the other myriad of eyesores and building-sized ads are all that's left?



    How about starting with cleaning up the sidewalks?
  • Reply 10 of 56
    eriamjheriamjh Posts: 1,642member
    I saw "broke free in the wind" and my mind saw "broke wind".
  • Reply 11 of 56
    dr millmossdr millmoss Posts: 5,403member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigdaddyok View Post


    Why is it that every headline on every article on your site starts with a negative sinister cut at Apple? If there are problems with billboards in LA or Boston or elsewhere, it is an issue with the outdoor ad company and the city's zoning officials. But you want to make it sound like "evil Apple and Steve Jobs" are killing people with giant iPods. If CBS outdoors is putting up illegal signs, the story is about them, not Apple. But that doesn't fit your bias.



    I wonder why "illegal" is in quotation marks, as if it's a figure of speech, a matter of speculation, or some such thing. If the sign violated city ordinances, which it did, then the sign is illegal -- no quotes required.



    BTW, the City of Los Angeles (not to be confused with the State of California) has some of the most lax sign regulations in the country (Sunset Boulevard, anybody?). Which should not be confused with no sign regulations. I don't think anyone would want to live in a place without any controls over signage.
  • Reply 11 of 56
    woohoo!woohoo! Posts: 291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    Don't California have more important things to worry about? a destroyed local economy, highest unemployment rate in the nation, one of the highest fiscal debt in the nation, do they really have this much leisure time and resources to worry about a billboard?





    California, where the sub-prime mortgage lending fiasco started and finished in Congress with the FHA, Freddie Mac and Freddie Mae experimenting with socialized sub-prime lending?



    Sure why not? California can't even solve their budget mess they got into so they worry about small stuff.



    Diverts the public anger off of them, demonstrates they still got power. Scares people with their petty antics from uprising like they should be.



    Perhaps the state will start dispensing free pot to mellow out the radicals now before more Californians drive their airplanes into buildings.
  • Reply 13 of 56
    woohoo!woohoo! Posts: 291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    Can someone translate what this guy just said?



    How much do you want for your cave? I'm looking for a quiet place away from the world.





    Actually it's about the money, not just Apple. LA saw Boston got big bucks and now they want some too.



    Apple should have taken down the ads once the credit market blew, they should have known people and governments were going to react negatively on some fashion to their luxury products post bubble recession and all.



    It's all psychology my friend.
  • Reply 14 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by John.B View Post


    Becaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuse, LA has eliminated all the other myriad of eyesores and building-sized ads are all that's left?



    Yeah, starting with the building in question at 1205 N. Highland Ave. -- the front (the thin side!) may be quite interesting, but that long side is surely an expanse of "Blah!"



    (In fact, the mega-ad is an improvement from that angle! The ad needs to be even larger!)



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Eriamjh View Post


    I saw "broke free in the wind" and my mind saw "broke wind".



    With smog-smog-smog, that might actually be an improvement, too! (At least on the really awful summer days...)
  • Reply 15 of 56
    woohoo!woohoo! Posts: 291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by bigdaddyok View Post


    Why is it that every headline on every article on your site starts with a negative sinister cut at Apple? If there are problems with billboards in LA or Boston or elsewhere, it is an issue with the outdoor ad company and the city's zoning officials. But you want to make it sound like "evil Apple and Steve Jobs" are killing people with giant iPods. If CBS outdoors is putting up illegal signs, the story is about them, not Apple. But that doesn't fit your bias.





    Why do you need to quote the whole darn AI article in your post?



    Sheesh!!
  • Reply 16 of 56
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    Don't California have more important things to worry about? a destroyed local economy, highest unemployment rate in the nation, one of the highest fiscal debt in the nation, do they really have this much leisure time and resources to worry about a billboard?



    The signs are only illegal because the city wants their cut of "blackmail" revenue. It's always about money, kids. Never forget that.
  • Reply 17 of 56
    justflybobjustflybob Posts: 1,337member
    Hilarious.



    Now if they can figure out some way to take down the "Art" that dominates Sunset Blvd?
  • Reply 18 of 56
    tundraboytundraboy Posts: 1,885member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Woohoo! View Post


    Sure why not? California can't even solve their budget mess they got into so they worry about small stuff.



    California can't solve their budget mess because pretty much the whole electorate, from left to right, wants to get more and more services while paying less and less taxes. If you want to blame the elected officials for that go ahead, but nothing will get fixed as long as the boobs keep voting for politicians who promise to deliver the impossible and against anyone who whispers anything resembling the truth.
  • Reply 19 of 56
    woohoo!woohoo! Posts: 291member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    The signs are only illegal because the city wants their cut of "blackmail" revenue. It's always about money, kids. Never forget that.





    Exactly. California is sorely hurting for money as a result of the sub-prime mess that started in their state.
  • Reply 20 of 56
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Woohoo! View Post


    I think Apple pushed themselves too far with their luxury cult product hype during the roaring credit bubble economy that the obvious backlash has occurred.



    Every action has a opposite and equal reaction.



    jealous much?
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