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Two years ago, we asked TTC Chair Adam Giambrone about whether increasing the amount of advertising on the TTC would be a way to make the organization a bit more money. He told us then: "I think we have an acceptable level of advertising. Could it be less? Absolutely. At this point any reduction would be a budget reduction, and I'll tell you I'm not really prepared to reduce the budget of the TTC to reduce the advertising. At the same time, I think we certainly have enough advertising. Many people would say too much, and even if we went all-out, the money is just not the solution to our city's budget woes." In November of 2007, we polled our readers on whether there was too much, just enough, or not enough advertising on the TTC, and 51% of you said that, then, there was too much.
So we can't imagine the majority of you will like this bit of ad creep very much: the TTC has installed a poster-sized video screen on the northbound platform of Bloor-Yonge subway station, only a few feet away from their ceiling-mounted, smaller Onestop video screens (screens that are intended to deliver important information to riders but whose screen real estate is dominated by advertising). The screen, spotted first thing this morning by reader Jonathan Poyner, is currently rotating customized movie trailers: one for District 9, which encourages viewers to "keep the TTC a humans only zone," one for The Ugly Truth, and another for Julie & Julia. We're trying to find out from the TTC whether the screen is a one-off or part of a larger project, and if so where the next screens will be—but after a few hours we haven't yet heard back from the TTC's typically fast-responding brass. We'll let you know when we do; and you can let us know if you spot any others.
: Adam Giambrone has gotten back to us: the video ad screen, he says, is a "test project by TTC Marketing and there are no current plans for expanding it." The key word there is current: the Commission is waiting for a report on the project expected "by end of year at the latest," which, says Giambrone, will include: "What the TTC's existing contractual obligations are to its contractor for installing this newer form of advertising," "What the revenue implications are for the TTC," and "What the levels of public acceptance are for this change." Writes Giambrone: "I think there is generally enough advertising on the system already, but will want the Commission to have the benefit of this information before making a decision." As far as he knows, the screens would only be used for advertising.
Video by David Topping/Torontoist.
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A better question would be to ask, does the TTC charge enough for its ad spaces? My suspicion is no, they don't, not when 5 cents more at the till would cover the difference if all ads were removed.
I don't know if they charge too little for the standard ads, vehicle wraps, or "station domination", but presumably there are enough large transit authorities in North America that the market for advertising space is resasonably well-developed. The drop-off in station domination campaigns lately, along with the increase in public service-type ads for non-profits leads me to believe that the TTC is, at the very least, not dropping prices excessively during the recession. Here's the person to call if you're curious about dollar figures.
As for this ad, my first thought was "at least there's no audio"... and my second though was, "even though the Onestop screen suck, it would be nice if they could get the (installed, but not live) EB platform screen at Chester up and running before they branch out into this stuff".
TTC employees were installing this around 12:30 AM last night. Well, one guy was installing it. And there were about 15 (no exageration) other hard-hatted and safety-vested employees hanging around watching him.
Holy cow! A new Nora Ephron movie is coming out! That's great news. And it stars none other than Meryl Streep, who is the awesomest actor. Not only that, but the supporting cast is great too.
I can't wait to see this one.
Next, this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBaiKsYUdvg
Gotta love commenters on Torontoist, always trying to bash workers anywhere they can. Never mind the people posting on this blog on company time, let's make fun of TTC employees watching a video screen installation in their own workplace.
Anything to bring more Hollywood excitement to my daily commute; as it stands now I get my fix pretending the subway is the disaster ride at Universal Studios. Deep down I know I'm still in Toronto, but the fantasy helps get me through the day.
Thank you, TTC.
the more the merrier
TTC Chair Adam Giambrone just got back to us about the screen, which he says is a "test project by TTC Marketing"—there's only this one, but they TTC is going to be reviewing a report on it by the end of this year, based, on part, on how much money it could bring the TTC and whether the public would accept the additional advertising. I've appended an update to the article above.
Big, fat whoopsie on this story.
Want TTC to have less ads? Elect a government that will fully finance transit like transit used to be financed, and you won't have to have you sight offended by an ad like this.
For me, it's just another ad, one of many on the TTC, and not a big deal. A bigger deal for me is a TTC that's falling apart-something that should truly be concerning us. Not ads.
Wow. Next we'll have retina scanning, holographic ad screens like from Minority Report...
I totally thought that too!
Buh. Wake me up when they have rectal probing holographic advertisements.
Better yet, wake up me with rectal probing holographic advertisements.
The TTC needs more advertising, and to charge more for it. The organisation has enough trouble covering its costs as it stands. I would suffer through extra advertising if it meant that ticket prices would stabilize.
Tickets have been phased out for adults and in any event did not fluctuate in price day to day or month to month. Curitiba this ain’t.
I think if torontoist were to re-poll ttc riders with the same question, but mention that more advertising equals more money and improved services, you'd get a much different result>
Let's get real here. Even dramatically more advertising doesn't equal much more money or much more improved service for the TTC, unless the situation has somehow changed from when I interviewed Adam in 2007. To quote from that interview:
The next paragraph in Adam's answer is the one I quoted in this article.
If a marginal increase in advertising led to a tangible improvement in service, I'd probably be for it, but, first, that's not seemingly the case; and second, as Solex sort of pointed out, that shouldn't be necessary.
So the obvious question here is: if advertising is only marginally worth it, why are we noticing ad creep? Either times are tight and those small gains function like penny-pinching on a grand scale, or these ads are mere decoys; physically concealing entranceways to tunnels and ventilation ducts utilized by potentially menacing aliens migrating from their South African stronghold. Admittedly, it's probably a little from column A, a little from column B, but I'd still be interested in hearing Giambrone's official statement. Back to you, David.
A "little" from Column B? What, like only 1 or 2 aliens, or their menace potential is very low?
No, that would be ridiculous. It's more probable that some of the ads are genuine, profitable marketing material, and some are just urban camouflage, concealing the alien entranceways. There is no evidence that the menace potential of these aliens is "very low" so I recommend keeping your guard up and allowing a few feet between you and any advertisements, although you should also maintain a minimum three-foot buffer zone between your body and the tracks should an alien spring through an advertisement and push you in front of a train. The ideal thing, really, is to dive into a series of quick somersaults past any adjacent advertising. You can get a friend to spot you until you can execute these evasive maneuvers with precision (instead of rolling off the platform or into benches).
Money is like sex. When you have lots of it, it's great. When you only have a little bit of it, it's better than nothing.
So is this a TTC internal thing or CBS?
The TTC should INCREASE the amount of ads if it meant better service, cheaper fares and an expansion of the subway/RT/streetcars. Ads are everywhere on TTC property (not to mention everywhere else) so you may as well get more bang for your buck.