Thursday, January 22, 2009

"Alamo Heights cracks down on crass ads"

Do you find your advertising efforts limited by local government? Apparently you just need to get creative!
Facing an increased trend of unique advertising methods by some merchants literally hurling their corporate literature on private property – including rolled-up flyers stuffed into cups thrown on lawns by a pizza maker – Alamo Heights is seeking to ban certain marketing methods.

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[Alamo Heights Police Chief Rick] Pruitt also cited the example of a local landscaper that put rocks in a plastic bag with their advertising flyers, citing the danger that could result from that advertising ploy.

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A related ordinance – written in detailed language seemingly to cover all the bases – already exists to protect property owners from local ad ploys: “…placing, attaching, painting, writing, stamping or pasting any sign, advertisement or other matter upon any house, wall, fence, gatepost, gate or tree box…”

As exquisitely detailed as the ordinance is, some merchants have found a way around it, necessitating even more restrictions. Pruitt proposed an amendment to the ordinance prohibiting projectile publicity.


(from the North San Antonio Times)

Heh heh heh. "Prohibiting projectile publicity." Journalists just live for alliteration, sometimes.

2 comments:

AlanDP said...

The landscaper isn't putting a rock in the bag as a sales gimmick. Everyone who leaves stuff in the yard does that. It's so the package will have some weight and they can throw it out of a passing car.

Albatross said...

Clever advertising ploy or not, isn't it ultimately just litter? Why couldn't Alamo Heights just go after the offenders with littering citations?

Oh, and the rock-in-the-bag thing: That seems like the business would be just one bad toss away from a lawsuit. I don't know why they take the chance.