Sam Oliver
Despite the fact that a 13,750-square-foot iPod touch banner on the side of a Boston self-storage building was declared illegal by the Massachusetts Outdoor Advertising Board, the massive advertisement has remained since the fall of 2007 with and without special permits. According to The Boston Globe, the companies behind the billboard agreed to pay the state $110,000 for a settlement in June — the largest known payment for any such advertising dispute.
The report suggested that the deal was reached with some assistance: A top campaign aide to Mayor Thomas M. Menino admitted to helping a business acquaintance behind the advertising agreement work his way through the permitting process. That acquaintance has also donated the maximum-allowed political campaign contribution of $500 to Menino every year since 2005.
The report said the mayor eventually endorsed the giant outdoor billboard, despite what the Globe called his administration's "usual discouragement of new billboards."
The one-year temporary permit for the iPod ad expired last fall, but the partners behind it did not file for a new permit until June, when the $110,000 settlement with the state was reached.
"The Outdoor Advertising Board has argued since 2007 that the ad’s owners should have sought its approval for the sign," the report said. "If they had, it would have been rejected because of its size and proximity to other signs, according to Edward J. Farley, the board’s executive director."
It continued: "The owners, however, said they are exempt because their ad promotes sales on the premises: Inside the Planet Self-Storage facility, a customer can buy iTunes gift cards, along with packing tape and locks."
Photo credit Yoon S. Byun, The Boston Globe.
In 2008, Apple opened a flagship store in Boston, at 815 Boylston St. It is a three-story building fronted by glass, with a large 6,384 square feet of floor space.
Charles Martin
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
Christine McKee
Wesley Hilliard
42 Comments
That's the bigger ad i ever seen! REALLY BIG!
What a rundown hood. Must be near a railway or highyway.
Or does all of Boston look like that?
Good thing the city has time and money to waste bickering about how big a sign is rather than something actually productive.
"The owners, however, said they are exempt because their ad promotes sales on the premises: Inside the Planet Self-Storage facility, a customer can buy iTunes gift cards, along with packing tape and locks."
hahaha, brilliant.
What a rundown hood. Must be near a railway or highyway.
Or does all of Boston look like that?
Yes indeed - you move back 50 more feet and the photographer will be under an elevate highway; in a semi-industrial area of the city. So site wise, you got 100K+ cars seeing this every day. The ad does also change from time to time.
Local paper also is covering this - latest article here. Ironically, the other Boston paper is across the street, and has their own billboards on their building advertising their paper, and they're really dull and boring
I actually walk past it every day on my way into work. While I don't mind this particular billboard, I do see the issue of letting any building put any ad on the side of their 8 story building.