Ads in the Motherfucking Sky - The Stranger | Comments

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1

One of the very few ways in which I have reservations about the advent of augmented reality technologies is that inevitably some or most of the hardware and software will be ad-supported, which will of course mean ads on anything and everything. Ads on walls, ads on faces, ads on the sky, ads on the moon. Ads on your genitals. All projected on an interface that will be as natural as a cell phone, which is to say, as natural as a limb or an eye.

And only the nerds will have the technology and wherewithal to block them.

balderdash on June 5, 2013 at 4:34 PM

2

This happens in denver just about every Rockies home game. They fly banners for the Weed shops, car insureance companies, real estate brokers, all sorts of stuff... You get used to it and ignore it eventually.

Random Poster on June 5, 2013 at 4:44 PM

3

You know it's Geico too. There's no escape from their ads.

Gern Blanston on June 5, 2013 at 4:44 PM

4

I think Seattle looked a lot more interesting before they started outlawing advertising in our city. Look at thes pictures of Westlake back in the 1960's. It looks a lot better than it does today, IMO:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/smb320/5497…

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=…

Tiffany on June 5, 2013 at 4:57 PM

5

Wasn't there some bit on an episode of Futurama where marketers had discovered how to beam advertising into people's dreams while they slept?

That would be the end.

Urgutha Forka on June 5, 2013 at 5:02 PM

6

By the way, Charles, what's worse: planes with ad banners, or those mobile billboard trucks? One pollutes and clutters the sky, the other pollutes and clutters city streets AND worsens already bad traffic congestion. I mean, I don't like the planes, but the trucks nearly incite me to violence.

@4, respect for differing tastes, of course, but I could not disagree more. Ads are gross; fuck them complete and forever. I don't WANT to live in New York. That's why I don't.

balderdash on June 5, 2013 at 5:06 PM

7

But "this sort of thing" IS common in our city. Perfectly common. As in most cities - taking advanrage of their density.

This wasn't the first time you've ever looked up, was it?

RonK, Seattle on June 5, 2013 at 5:25 PM

8

Hush, Tiffany dear - if the Seattle Good Taste Police hear you saying that they'll break into your home and dye all your clothes beige.

Catalina Vel-DuRay on June 5, 2013 at 5:29 PM

9

Charles, I agree. And wait until they paint the moon with lasers. There will be no escape. NO ESCAPE!

tkc on June 5, 2013 at 5:40 PM

10

It is a bit late to start complaining about this. Advertising in the air is a old as human flight. Nineteenth century ballonists carried ads in order to defray costs as did the early barn stormers. I am all for banning billboards in rural areas along highways to reduce visual litter but cannot get worked up over aeial ads in the city. Aren't logos on jets and news helicopters advertising? Try banning that.

thatsnotright on June 5, 2013 at 5:50 PM

11

Not common?! I see them every year over Seattle Center. We've even had blimps.

uptown on June 5, 2013 at 6:06 PM

12

Hippie

Seattle14 on June 5, 2013 at 6:47 PM

13

Why, Charles, air adverts are a public service! That's the only way I can tell if there's a game or something else going on that I don't possibly give a flipping shit about. See! Highly useful.

Gospodean on June 5, 2013 at 7:47 PM

14

I want SpaceShipTwo tattooed on my branson.

rob! on June 5, 2013 at 8:42 PM

15

It's far more appealing when it is on blimps. Bring back blimps!

K X One on June 5, 2013 at 8:44 PM

16

Well, then let's just get rid of professional sports. You might need to speak with your colleagues about that since they've been boosting for hedge fund Hansen. I'm sure there will be more annoying things like this when we get our new shiny basketball arena/team.

@1 I'm being serious here but are you facetious? I don't find the current 2nd generation cybernetic augmentations very natural (let's consider 1G the smart phone). For example, Google Glass ignores at least one fundamental human factor, IMO, stereoscopic vision. And that's just the beginning.

dirac on June 5, 2013 at 9:00 PM

17

@16 Forgot to mention for more articulate/informed critiques Google Steve Mann's IEEE Spectrum article.

dirac on June 5, 2013 at 9:05 PM

18

Just think how much more horrible it would have been if you could actually have read it.

Or is this an aerial sequel to your impressionistic Henry Louis Gates portrait?

long-time reader on June 5, 2013 at 10:17 PM

19

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mr. Rural-citizens-who-value-their-quiet-landscape-can-go-fuck-themselves-because-they don't-choose-to-live-in-cities. Cry me a fucking river, Charles. Seriously.

Hypocrite.

k.wren on June 5, 2013 at 10:22 PM

20

I actually disagree (though I make my living in advertising, so my views are suspect). But I'll take sky banners over, say, billboards any day. They're far less ubiquitous, they inspire genuine curiosity (especially since you can't always read them at first, so there's a little anticipation), and they're fleeting—the sky returns. Plus, anything that sets my mind thinking of flight is welcome... I guess I'll always be four inside, yelling, "A plane!"

PEM on June 6, 2013 at 7:18 AM

21

I'll take easily ignorable ads in the sky over advertisements plastered all over my computer monitor, thanks.

treehugger on June 6, 2013 at 8:58 AM

22

@4: Ads aren't outlawed in the city, and both of those photos you posted look hideous.

treehugger on June 6, 2013 at 9:00 AM

23

I like @4's photos, but think a big part of their appeal is the nostalgic element to the ads themselves. Again, a matter of taste, but we wouldn't be living and walking amongst those quaintly retro ads, but rather some hideous newfangled 22nd century fluorescent green energy drink promoting hologram.

As far as airplane banners go, I don't mind them too much. Reminiscent of the east coast beach we used to vacation to in my youth.

mikethehammer on June 6, 2013 at 9:55 AM

24

@4

I'm guessing it's better in old photographs than it was in person. I do love the Great Northern goat in the photo. I wish that was still there. And @22 is right -- modern street advertising is hideous and would detract hugely from our streetscape if it were employed to the degree seen in your photos.

emor on June 6, 2013 at 10:08 AM

25

Anyone who thinks the current Westlake looks better than the Westlake in Our Dear Tiffany's photos was raised by a sensory deprivation tank.

Catalina Vel-DuRay on June 7, 2013 at 7:20 PM

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