Advertising

Advertising is something that often catches my attention here. I'm not sure if it is because I am no longer used to billboards after having lived in Turkey, or just because things seems to be a bit more outlandish and over the top (like the statue of liberty billboard, the giant coffee cup on top of a building, or the oversize boxes of chocolate candies that are their own billboard). Or perhaps it is just because I walk everywhere so I have time to really look around and notice things. I have to admit that some of the advertising seems to be extremely well placed for their target advertising. Such as the ads for the i-phone that went up just outside the school gates about a month before the phones arrived in Paraguay (target audience!). I'm not so sure about the three large Britanico billboards that are just across from the school, but they have been there since I arrived so I don't see them leaving anytime soon.

My favorite advertising in the city though is a wall that I walk by every day on my way to school. It is low cost advertising at its best. About every two weeks someone comes by and paints over what is on the wall and repaints information about what parties or events are going on soon in Asunción. The majority of the adverts are for parties held at one of the clubs (it is worth mentioning that this wall is directly across from another private school in the city). I've even managed to go by a couple of times when the repainting is being done and I can tell you that it seems as if it done by high school students for high school students. Why do I like these ads over others? Perhaps because they are brightly colored and hand done. The idea that they are advertisements for events rather than material good to buy is also a draw. Surely some of it is the frequent overhaul of the wall designs. But then it could just be because I spend significantly more time staring at the wall when I'm waiting for the light to change so I can cross the street.