New Advertising in Dublin

[hutton]

And what was the scrolling screen advertising? Why, it was advertising 'advertising'!- with a (fake?) trade journal showing different 'celebrities' from the advertising world..

Ah, but did you not know -

Dublin City Council has exclusive use of all JC Decaux advertising panels at no cost, for public information campaigns until August 31st

Indeed.

I noticed a number of these myself last weekend, in effect advertising advertising space to let - which is curious when you consider that apparently -

It's also stated here that "one side of one of these panels in a prime location costs €2500 for a fortnight"

Indeed, again.

[lostexpectation]

It is indeed lostexpectation - or at least one estimate as to what the revenue is worth... Still no declaration as to what the contract contains - despite it having been agreed 2 years ago... Is it any wonder why people think it is all well dodgy?

i don't think that fair representation of the deal, thers has to more to it then that.

[hutton]

i don't think that fair representation of the deal, thers has to more to it then that.

Well the toilets are gone from the deal... If you want to include a couple of heritage plaques and sign posting - of which no details have been publicized - fair enough.

Point is, until DCC management release the contract there's bound to be questions... How can 450 bicycles and a couple of plaques and poles add up to a value of €85 million benefit to the city?

Seeing as the contract was agreed 2 years ago, why the need to keep it hush-hush?

Then again, maybe I'm missing the point that the city has just been significantly environmentally enhanced* with vivid colours and lighting, 'gifted' by JC Decaux.





* = Estimated beneficial value of colours and lights, 84.9 million: A couple of bikes and poles, 0.1 million... Wiping the bedazzled eyes of natives with trinkets and blankets, Priceless

[hutton]

i don't think that fair representation of the deal, thers has to more to it then that.

Well, without meaning to bang on -

The council has said... it will carry out a cost-benefit analysis once the bicycles arrive.

That's some way to do business

[GP]

Of all the things happening in the city at the moment, this is in my view the worst. We can have one off building that are ugly and missed chances to boot. What is happening here will sooner or later end up in people being seriously injured or worse. It defies all common sense, breaches all public safety norms and is a criminal horses ass of a scheme.

I don't live in Dublin, it's my home town and I visit about 6-7 times a year. A lot of what I see has been built is disappointing, but I remember the way things were, the city was blighted, much of what we see in the old photos looked attractive but the photos don't convey the smell of grinding poverty that was prevalent. People are now educated and there is money and so future excuses are not acceptable.

Are those in the council prepared to take the normal personal accountability every company director must take and accept civil and criminal liability for the placing of these signs? They should be removed.

[Pot Noodle]

There is one on the Navan Road outside Belvedere Training Ground
If perchance some young kids on there bikes was cycling on the path and one was larking about and stood up he could be seriously injured far to low to the ground,accident waiting to happen

[GrahamH]

This false trade journal is absolutely preposterous - I would estimate that at least half of all of the hoardings in the city centre have been occupied by this journal for the past two weeks, indeed quite possibly all of them. What a joke given DCC is supposed to have 'exclusive use until the end of August'. The adverts are also terribly designed, printed on sheets of otherwise blank scrolling paper, and present a down-at-heel environment wherever they feature. And as for the nighttime distraction...

The Bleeding Horse unit is a particularly dangerous distraction at nighttme, as I've seen first hand, located at a busy and complicated pedestrian junction right outside a number of pubs and hotels. Nothing other than shameful describes the thinking that permited the likes of these.

[hutton]

This false trade journal is absolutely preposterous - I would estimate that at least half of all of the hoardings in the city centre have been occupied by this journal for the past two weeks, indeed quite possibly all of them. What a joke given DCC is supposed to have 'exclusive use until the end of August'. The adverts are also terribly designed, printed on sheets of otherwise blank scrolling paper, and present a down-at-heel environment wherever they feature. And as for the nighttime distraction...

The Bleeding Horse unit is a particularly dangerous distraction at nighttme, as I've seen first hand, located at a busy and complicated pedestrian junction right outside a number of pubs and hotels. Nothing other than shameful describes the thinking that permited the likes of these.

Agreed 100%

hutton has just been out for the evening - doing a bit of "urban hunting", you understand... Hmmm, a rake of outstanding un-authorised developments out there belonging to a certain company

[hutton]

There is one on the Navan Road outside Belvedere Training Ground
If perchance some young kids on there bikes was cycling on the path and one was larking about and stood up he could be seriously injured far to low to the ground,accident waiting to happen

Thanks for that Pot Noodle

[lostexpectation]

one ofthose articles mentions that a scheme spent 20m on upkeep and replacement for their bikes, this scheme is apparently for 15 years so...

[ctesiphon]

Classy.

[missarchi]

full bike racks and empty poles

[lostexpectation]

i wonder if those bike and bike racks are competition to jcdeaux

[newgrange]

According to a thread on boards.ie our friends JC Decaux have taken to putting their lovely erections up under cover of dark.

[ctesiphon]

They've been at it for a while, I think.

This was taken on the 14th of August or so. Perhaps it's innocent enough- to minimise traffic disruption? Not that there's ever a good time to park a flat-bed in the cycle lane...

[hutton]

These fecking yokes are proving as popular as ever...

Anger over 'ugly' advertising structures

WEDNESDAY, 24 SEPTEMBER 2008
A CONTROVERSIAL new advertising structure in Dublin 7 has been described as a “deadly distraction”.
The JC Decaux ‘metropoles’ caused uproar when some were erected in the inner city, and one was recently put up on a path along the Navan Road.
They are being provided throughout the city in a deal with Dublin City Council under which the French firm will provide a bike rental scheme.
The illuminated scrolling advertising structures have been met with criticism from many who believe they are a health and safety risk.
“They are a danger, a distraction and an eyesore,” claimed Mike Keegan, vice chairman of the Navan Road Community Council.
“This metropole is not like a billboard; it is a brightly lit rotating advert which is placed close to traffic lights.
“It poses a real distraction to drivers on what is a busy road.”
He added: “Someone with impaired vision could seriously injure themselves if they accidentally walked into it.”
According to Mr Keegan, many local residents were surprised when the structure was erected back in July.
“The notice for planning permission for the metropole was put up in a very discreet place,” he claimed.
“That is why only a few people submitted objections to the structure even though most of us are very much opposed to it.”

According to Cllr Emer Costello (Lab) the metropoles are “incredibly ugly, obscene and distracting structures”.
“They are a hindrance to the blind, to people with buggies or wheelchairs and to drivers,” she told Northside People.
“I also worry that Dublin City Council could be open for liability if they are the cause of an accident.”
Permission for the advertising structures across 100 Dublin locations was granted in exchange for the provision of a city bike rental scheme.
The deal is estimated to be worth in the region of e1 million.
However, according to Cllr Costello clarification is needed on the public’s cut of the deal.
“Where is the free bike scheme we were promised?” she asked.
“Why have so many of these signs gone up and yet we still don’t seem to be benefiting from the scheme which was guaranteed in return for such a lucrative advertising arrangement.”
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council revealed that talks in relation to the bike scheme are still ongoing.
“We do expect that the bike scheme will be rolled out early next year,” it was stated.
According to the spokesperson, a health and safety audit had been carried out on the JC Decaux structures erected so far.
On foot of the audit, a structure in Rathmines was deemed unsuitable and has already been removed.
Another on Dorset Street was “replaced and repositioned”.
“All other structures have passed our inspections which are carried out in according to the best standard of practices,” the spokesperson added.

http://www.dublinpeople.com/content/view/1068/55/


Another on Dorset Street was “replaced and repositioned”.

Is that so DCC, no doubt there was a fresh planning application? There was like fuck... Unauthorized developments facilitated by the local authority - Shame on you DCC

[hutton]

Deleted following amalgamation of the two threads.

[publicrealm]

[quote="hutton"]

According to Cllr Emer Costello (Lab) the metropoles are “incredibly ugly, obscene and distracting structures”.
“They are a hindrance to the blind, to people with buggies or wheelchairs and to drivers,” she told Northside People.


Ms Costello will get her chance in due course, I presume. Anyone got info on the long awaited city advertising strategy - promised in the 2005 Development Plan ? (bootleg copies gratefully accepted)

[ctesiphon]

Anyone got info on the long awaited city advertising strategy - promised in the 2005 Development Plan ? (bootleg copies gratefully accepted)

Still awaited, but a map was produced by DCC at the Oral Hearing, showing how they determined which locations were suitable for large, eye-catching, distracting, unsightly, offensive advertising hoardings designed to replace illegal, low-revenue, poorly located (from a commercial point of view) billboards which in many cases had enforcement proceedings underway. (Not their description, by the way.) This might now be considered the de facto Policy, especially in the absence of, y'know, a policy.

I'm sure if you ring Kieran Rose, he'll point you in the right direction.*

*By which I mean, he'll transfer your call to Mary Conway.

[hutton]

No doubt these poor suckers got told they'd get "Free Phones"...


Anger over call box with no phone
Oct 16 2008 By Adam Courtney


Phonebox in Shepperton High Street

Heard the one about the phone booth without a phone? Chances are you have if you've walked past the 'facility' in Shepperton High Street

Four months after appearing it still hasn't had a line installed - and residents aren't seeing the funny side.

The 'eyesore' was put up by BT in June after the communications giant joined forces with advertising firm JCDecaux.

BT claimed the booths would have scrolling advertising on the back and a phone on the front.

But furious residents, who, at the time it was installed, labelled it 'monolithic', believe the firm has little intention of installing the phone and claim it has been put up solely to bring in advertising revenue.

Retired Jeff Levy, from Laleham, said: "I could forgive it if it had a phone in it but it serves absolutely no purpose and it seems it's all about money. It's very ugly and should have no place in Shepperton anyway.

"Maybe in some grotty London borough, but not here."

When the booth was installed, residents raised concerns about the effect it would have on road safety, pointing out the two-metre high structure impeded the view of motorists turning onto the High Street from the library car park.

The fact the booth appears to serve no great purpose has made them even more angry.

Lesley Barnes, who works in the Princess Alice Hospice charity shop, said: "Nothing should obstruct drivers' views, especially something like this which is totally useless and is being used just to advertise. It's very dangerous and should be taken down."

Kerry Hennesey, of Quality Fruit and Veg, said: "It was put up two weeks after the council told us to take our advert boards down and look what it's become - one big advert.

"They're are making money out of it, while people without mobile phones don't have anywhere to make calls."

BT has so far failed to return the Herald's calls.

http://www.surreyherald.co.uk/surrey-news/news-surrey/2008/10/16/anger-over-call-box-with-no-phone-86289-22051287/

[StephenC]

can't find the other thread..... (I know I know search engine)

Anyhow isnt this interesting:

Dublin aims to be most accessible city for disabled - OLIVIA KELLY

DUBLIN IS aiming to become the most accessible city in the world for people with disabilities, the elderly and parents of young children.

Dublin City Council and the National Disability Authority (NDA) are to discuss plans at a conference today which they say will make the city the most accessible internationally by the end of the decade.

The council, the NDA and the Centre for Excellence in Universal Design will discuss the issue not only in terms of improving infrastructure such as roads, footpaths and buildings but through the use of technology.

Speaking before the conference, Peter Finnegan, director of the council's office of international relations and research, said Dublin was leading the way internationally in terms of using technology to improve accessibility.

"Earlier this year, we launched our Access Dublin website and we have already audited 1,000 businesses which provide accessible services, and we will audit another 1,000 next year."

The website, http://www.accessdublin.ie, carries details of premises and services in Dublin which are accessible, and invites feedback from users, enabling local people and tourists to choose businesses they know they will be able to use easily.

The council was also investigating the use of talking information and map units that use touchscreen technology and carry no written information.

The issue of accessibility does not just concern wheelchair users or the visually impaired, Mr Finnegan said. "It's about people who are getting older, people with children in pushchairs, people who might fall and be on a crutch for a period of time. People should realise that this issue is likely to affect them at some stage in their life cycle."

Mr Finnegan conceded that the council still had a lot to do in terms of improving path and road surfaces, but he said the council also had to ensure that accessibility was built into the design of any new works programme.

"We're not just putting right the wrongs of the past - anything that's done in the future must be done to the highest standards. There needs to be universal design in how we plan our cities."

© 2008 The Irish Times

Obviously this will fully take into consideration the many large advertsing panels blocking the streets of the city.

I also wonder will they promote "legibility" as well as "accessibility". No point in being able to get somewhere if I dont know where I am going

[ctesiphon]

can't find the other thread..... (I know I know search engine)

This one? Dublin- kerb cuts and footpath dishing

Might be worth reviving? I have a few howler locations worthy of posting. It would, at least, assist the relevant bodies when drawing up their programme of works.

[missarchi]

I dont even know how you can use a wheelchair in dame street and many more yet alone walk

[hutton]

Folks do we remember back in August when we were wondering what the then new billboards were doing running a campaign of faces? Well courtesy of Decaux's own website it's all explained... What was that again DCC about having "exclusive use" of all units until August 31st? (See Irish Times Aug 21st).

I am glad me no "celebrity"

JCDecaux Ireland makes celebrities of key industry faces for street furniture launch
JCDecaux Street Furniture arrived in Dublin for the first time and we took the market by storm with a brilliant teaser campaign to launch the beautiful new Metropoles and Metropanels to the advertising community in Ireland.

Getting Personal
To launch our new displays we took photos of over 250 of the top agency planners, buyers, media executives, specialists and staff from JCDecaux. Nobody was told exactly what the launch would be, just that it would make them famous! This tease continued right up until late August when all was revealed! Each person who participated had their own fictitious magazine cover called “]Dublin Stops & Stares[/B]
We posted the campaign over a single weekend and brought the advertising industry, and most of Dublin, to a halt on the Monday morning. We sent everyone who took part in the campaign a personalised email telling them the exact locations of where they were being displayed and inviting them to visit their site. See who featured in the campaign by choosing a name or location from the drop down menus above.

The concept behind the campaign was quite simple. This was an entirely new network of advertising displays throughout Dublin, and in the case of Metropoles, a new format. We wanted to get the decision makers away from their desks and out to see the units in situ, to drive home the incredible new advertising locations. We knew if we could find a way of doing this we would get buy-in straight away because the displays and locations are so amazing.

Although our Metropole formats are widely available across continental Europe, this is the first time they have appeared in Ireland. The Metropanel is a bespoke design for Dublin, incorporating a city skyline at the base of the 6 sheet unit.

Both the Metropoles and the Metropanels are scrolling units displaying 4 or 8 panels each. This launch is the most significant development in the Irish Out of Home market over the past decade. The JCDecaux portfolio of products in Ireland now includes billboard, transport and street furniture.

Let us know what you thought of our launch campaign at iamfamous@jcdecaux.ie

For more information on Metropoles and Metropanels, click here

Please contact our Sales Team for rates and availability on these formats: sales@jcdecaux.ie
http://www.matrixinternet.ie/jcdecaux/location/amiensstreet.htm

[lostexpectation]

council-objects-to-stencilled-ad-on-wall
http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/council-objects-to-stencilled-ad-on-wall-1544661.html

DECEMBER ISSUE - PLAN MAGAZINE, Ireland's leading architectural publication, has conducted a major investigation the results of which are published in our current issue. In conducting our research, we uncovered key findings including:

Dublin City Council's own internal report finds majority of units inspected to be deficient regarding road safety yet units nonetheless deemed as compliant

No schedule yet for the independent safety audit, although vast majority of units are in place.

JC Decaux's list of 50 predominantly already obsolete billboards accepted as complying with the condition that sought to reduce 100 billboards around the city

Billboards erected on roads known to have a bad safety record

Alcohol adverts now flashing outside schools

"Having published the previously secret rezoning map in April used to deliver the Decaux scheme, Plan Magazine lifts the lid and again further exposes significant new shortcomings some of which are potential public safety hazards."
Synopsis of our findings:

1. On request by councillors, city officials conducted an internal audit whereby 32 site inspections were carried out in city-centre areas, primarily on the smaller "metropanel" units, now freestanding on footpaths. Twenty-seven had been erected at time of inspection, yet of the units only eight appear to be completely free from "road user infringements". Although the majority appear to have deficiencies in terms of road safety and could be potentially dangerous, such as "blind spots" (council's own description) and sightlines blocked, all bar one have been deemed to be compliant.

2. Forty-six other units, primarily the larger "metropole" type, do not appear to have been inspected; however Plan Magazine has correlated data provided by the Gardai with locations of development, and it appears that approximately 25 have been built on roads known to have bad history of accidents. (Any of the larger "metropole" units that were appealed to An Bord Pleanála were shot down, primarily because of road safety concerns; in contrast Dublin City Council approved 100% all such applications in the first instance. No Environmental Impact Assessment was ever carried out.)

3. In total, of the 78 "metropole" and "metropanel" units, approximately 50 raise problems in terms of road safety, or are located on dangerous roads. Despite this the independent safety audit required has not even been advertised for contract with no timetable apparent as to when it is likely to be carried out.

4. The condition stipulating a cleanup of the city by the removal of 100 billboards has seemingly been retrospectively changed to 50, yet the evidence of decommissioned hoardings by JC Decaux appears to have significant peculiarities. Of the 50 units, 30 roads and streets are listed – yet only 20 of these are identifiable with specific numbers provided. Having conducted site examinations of the locations, Plan Magazine has discovered that many of the sites were already under or effected by redevelopment, including in one case state land where a garda station is being built, while in other instances it appears that some addresses provided do not exist.

5. Other matters including alcohol adverts outside schools such as on Dorset Street, land ownership issues, estimates of the scheme being worth €150 million, liability questions and more!


h/t cactus flower at machinenation