Bus Advertising

Advertising agencies sell online ads to their clients, quoting the potential to reach a million plus viewers, but bus advertising works for me. I’m in the right frame of mind. It’s not like online, where I’m constantly mad because of the deluge of ads disturbing whatever I’m watching.

I remember products advertised on both sides of the bus. There’s one ad in particular that prompted this blog. WE ARE HIRING, said the city’s school division. I was surprised because I assumed that teaching, counselling, sports and other school jobs are advertised in-house. Public schools are unionized, so things are done in a particular manner.

There must be a reason why advertising agencies don’t suggest the bus. Maybe it’s because of City Hall. Buses in major cities globally, usually belong to the government. City Hall is government. It is part of the wider provincial/state government. The federal government is big daddy. It just never occurred to me that, only this family can advertise on the bus, until I saw the WE ARE HIRING ad.

Then the penny dropped. The department that issues drivers’ licenses and provincial I.D.’s advertises regularly on the bus. They even had ads reminding drivers to be kind to bicycles. Unfortunately, no ads to protect pedestrians from bike harassment on the pavement.

From what I remember, some cities somewhere in the world allow general advertising: grocery stores, drugstores, milk, real estate companies etc. London, England. Did those red double-decker buses have ads? I don’t remember. New York buses. I think they had advertising when we were students. Some television shows were advertised on the bus.

I remember bus ads because I see them when I’m waiting for the bus, when they zoom by in the rain, when they are waiting for traffic lights to turn red or when parked at the bus terminal, opposite the mall.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger