Advertising, society and public spaces: Part 3 questions and answers

I’d argue that traditional billboards still possess a distinct advantage in terms of physical presence. Unlike digital pop-ups, which people routinely block or skip after a couple of seconds, a roadside hoarding reaches a captive audience during their daily commute. For instance, drivers stuck in heavy traffic cannot simply swipe past a physical sign. However, digital ads certainly offer far better demographic targeting and immediate sales conversion, so they complement each other rather than compete directly.

Yes, I believe stricter municipal regulations are necessary to prevent visual pollution. Excessive commercial clutter can genuinely detract from urban architecture and create sensory overload for residents. Some European cities have already banned commercial billboards in historic town centres, replacing them with public art, which creates a far calmer urban environment. That said, public transit networks rely heavily on advertising revenue to subsidise commuter fares, so a balanced compromise is required.

In my view, campaigns that evoke strong emotions through relatable storytelling tend to resonate best with the general public. Rather than presenting abstract figures about road safety or smoking, ads showing realistic consequences for ordinary families leave a lasting impression. For instance, anti-drink-driving drives that focus on personal grief have demonstrably altered social norms. Nonetheless, if the tone becomes overly moralising or distressing, some people simply tune out the message entirely.

Advertising wields an enormous influence over what society perceives as fashionable, successful, or desirable. Commercials rarely sell just a product; they sell an aspirational lifestyle, convincing people that happiness is tied to material accumulation. For example, marketing campaigns have turned luxury consumer electronics into symbols of social status among young people. However, consumers are becoming far more sceptical nowadays, often questioning manipulative marketing tactics rather than accepting them blindly.

I suspect public displays will become far more dynamic and interactive over the coming decades. Instead of static posters, we will likely see augmented screens that adjust their content in real time based on weather conditions or footfall patterns. For example, an interactive bus shelter might display hot beverage promotions on cold, rainy mornings. Even so, public concerns regarding facial recognition and privacy rights could place legal boundaries on how personal these displays can become.