Gothamist: Subway Advertising Gets Moving

C. LeDuc

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 20:29:13 -0500

How much is this going to cost companies to advertise and where will the money go?

JT

Tue, 16 May 2006 12:34:00 -0500

The art that ethos mentioned was nice -- and it was around in the 1980s too. I remember being on the train as some little kid saw it and he said "ooooo, I liiiike it." Very cute. Advertisements -- not so cute.

Toby

Mon, 15 May 2006 22:44:38 -0500

I recall seeing something like this on PATH which I didn't like. Why must there be ads everywhere. Interlard, maps can come in handy, especially when the system goes to hell and you need to figure out your options on a line you don't normally take. Most people know the subway line or lines they take on a regular basis (or at least the part they ride). Hell, I still sometimes think that the Q still runs over the 6th Avenue IND sometimes and goes to Queens - something it hasn't done in a couple of years.

Samantha T

Mon, 15 May 2006 22:03:12 -0500

While the average MTA subway line is superior to its T counterpart, I maintain that the Red Line is Boston is as good as the best MTA lines. Also, Boston has a pretty decent bus system, if you're stuck dealing with the dreaded B line (if I recall, the D isn't so bad).

s

Mon, 15 May 2006 17:37:08 -0500

hahahahah "charm"; what good does charm do you when you're all the way out in brighton and you need to get downtown? basically, youre screwed if you take the T, you can walk faster than that damn thing, and in boston, you cant hail cabs on the street. backwards backwater town that it is, you either need to give yourself an extar hour to account for the antique "charm" of the train, or call for a cab and pray that it actually comes to get you when you need it, knowing you will shell out about twice what the same distance covered would cost here. i am SO GLAD i dont live there anymore.

Interlard

Mon, 15 May 2006 17:14:49 -0500

Never mind more advertising, perhaps the money raised could be used to buy a couple more FREAKIN' MAPS to stick in the subway cars?? 2 maps per car is BEYOND THIRD WORLD. Every other subway system on the planet has little horizontal maps showing which stops the train goes to, that you can see from every seat, EXCEPT NEW YORK. Maps aren't just for tourists. I live here and I haven't memorized where EVERY SINGLE NYC subway lines goes. So instead I have to carry a set of maps AT ALL TIMES. Which are out of date every 6 months anyway because MTA keeps re-routing the trains. MAP. Do you hear me, MYA?? M A P!!!!

eliz

Mon, 15 May 2006 16:39:49 -0500

ah yes, nothing like a divergence of discussion to boston T-bashing; before i clicked the comments i knew someone would bring up the existence of these ads in the T, yet i wasn't ready for the onslaught of boston hate. the charm of boston is that if you live there, you know to either take the bus, walk, or ride a bike. leave the T to the tourists who are dumb enough to use it.

Jeebus

Mon, 15 May 2006 14:29:46 -0500

I remember getting off the plane at Logan and looking for the Silver Line. Of course I thought this was an actual train since it looked like it fit in so nicely on the T Map. When I got outside, low and behold it was a fuckin long ass bus with electric trolley-wire on top. The bus even had its own tunnels underground only it was allowed to go through, like a wannabe train with wheels. Like what the fuck is this supposed to be??? If you can't afford a god damn train don’t buy a freaking BUS and name it a line.

mike

Mon, 15 May 2006 13:50:32 -0500

WOW, i remember seeing this when i was a really young, (keep in mind i'm only 22 now) but i tried googleing and searching for this for years, my parents thought it was jsut my imagination... i knew i seen this before!... i vaguely remember it being a cartoon with someone pouring a bowl of ceral or something... it was between pacific and grand street. on the B line (now the D) Anyway .. finally i can put this thought to rest!

joe

Mon, 15 May 2006 13:33:29 -0500

It's true, the Green Line in Boston is really ridiculously bad.

MH

Mon, 15 May 2006 13:03:55 -0500

The Path Train has this. I saw an advetisement for SNAPPLE. I thought that I was seeing things. In reality, people who ride the trains should be shown ads that make them want to save money not spend it.

Zach

Mon, 15 May 2006 12:53:55 -0500

Wow... Boston stereotypes sure are funny. Anyway, I lived in Boston while the ads were up on the Red Line; they're unobtrusive and kind of cool, although they chose things that didn't animate well at all -- the Target ad with the floating bullseyes, in particular, just made everyone dizzy. It's *really* only annoying because in Boston, they installed the ads at night. Get ready for even more track work!

nick

Mon, 15 May 2006 12:44:00 -0500

el dipshit: YES! i'd like to see the young one struggling to stay on top of the pile of money in motion, not just one still picture.

miss

Mon, 15 May 2006 12:24:19 -0500

getting on the 42nd st. shuttle train this morning.. i was kinda LOVING it... the entire interior is covered with large images of cities to travel to... it's by Delta and makes you want to hop on a plane and fly far far away.... made me happy.

el dipshit

Mon, 15 May 2006 12:19:26 -0500

I would like to see way more of those Spanish DJs who give away money.

Paddy

Mon, 15 May 2006 12:02:45 -0500

But I like the darkness of the subways.

hr

Mon, 15 May 2006 12:02:41 -0500

any comparisions between the "T" and the nyc system is silly. stupid turtle line and those wicked retahded trolleys ... ding ding ... hey this is some wicked pissah pahty you got goin on sully. yuch

cdjames

Mon, 15 May 2006 11:44:43 -0500

The ads in the subway cars give us something to stare at so that you don't get stabbed by the homeless-psychopath sitting across from you. I think it's creative and fun, and I agree with the comment about helping the MTA avoid fare hikes [even though NYers have it better than most major urban commuters cost-wise]. The real opposition to media "bombardment" will come when interactive screens displaying ads make their way inside the newest set of subway cars [ordered and expo'd last year].

joe

Mon, 15 May 2006 11:31:52 -0500

I've seen these in Boston, they are actually pretty fun to watch, it's kind of like watching a flipbook.

lc

Mon, 15 May 2006 11:24:54 -0500

The "animated" ads in the subway tunnels in Hong Kong are kind of fun to watch. I just wish they get changed more frequently.

ethos

Mon, 15 May 2006 11:11:53 -0500

They used to have one between DeKalb and Grand Street on the D in the early '90s too. Not an ad, just a neat little animation of morphing shapes. Used to add a nice little flavor to the commute. Don't know if I'd want to get blitzed with an ad campaign though. An animated Dr. Zizmor? Ick...

s

Mon, 15 May 2006 11:00:13 -0500

this is hardly news. i designed and animated a Shark Week submedia ad for Discovery Channel which was placed on the #2 line between 14th and 34th street 5 years ago.

mike

Mon, 15 May 2006 10:59:03 -0500

they already do this on The T in boston... it's frightening.

Kojak

Mon, 15 May 2006 10:57:31 -0500

To tell you the truth, we're pretty lucky. Our trains and buses don’t have nearly as many ads as the trains in Japan, HK, etc. NY advertisements are tame compared to whats in Asia

Jason

Mon, 15 May 2006 10:51:19 -0500

Just what we need, more bombardment by advertising messages. So much for the MTA's anti-graffiti moral high ground.