Observing Ads on Cairo's Roads

Observing Ads on Cairo’s Roads You sit in the passenger seat, thrilled at the prospect of capturing glimpses of your surroundings as you journey around Cairo. However this’s never the scenario, because the ride often ends up feeling like an endless commercial break on a TV channel. Allow me to clarify; advertising in Cairo has taken a detour over the last few years. Apart from TV commercials, street billboards have occupied every inhabited sidewalk, roof top and perceptual space of the city.

[Billboards targeting October bridge users during the holy month of Ramadan]

It would be ignorant to argue against advertisement which fuels the economy. Marketing for a product is no more an option. Industries rely on a thorough marketing scheme to create adequate demand, as well as to create Product Brand Personality. Consequently, advertisement has grown into being a part of the urban landmarks. In New York’s city center, buildings are required to house billboards with specific dimensions. Moreover, Billboards in New York are banned within nearly 110 sq. meters of highways and only 12 means of publicity are permitted including pasting posters on buses, subway trains and street furniture.

[A night scene of the billboards targeting October bridge users last month]

The problem in Egypt is not the absence of a system that regulates advertisement; it’s the conflict of interest of those who are maintaining its order. Even with the Cultural Coordination Center working its way to regulate aesthetics of our city, billboards are becoming an essential source of income for the municipalities. However not solely municipalities, it is a source of income to any facility having a perceptual view of a busy street; the old buildings not getting fair rents from their inhabitants, the new ones being constructed and even public and military properties. And the more the funds are cut, the more entities strive to get sponsored.

Nevertheless, it is not as if we are selling our air rights to improve the road paving. Somehow, especially with public property, the money never seems to show up on the municipalities’ expenditures.

[An example of a billboard covering a twelve story apartment building under construction with two extra billboards on the rooftop]

Going back & forth between the benefits and disadvantages of advertisement, one must mention the social implications of advertisements, which are far more extreme than they may appear. Advertisements, as described in a German newspaper are an “inevitable dictatorship”.

We have grown to view them as part of our city, while they continuously and steadily continue to occupy every inch of it (Anti-advertising Agency). Unconsciously our mindset has grown to think that they have the right to “own, occupy and control.” Our perception of our city no longer carries the true meaning of ownership. We are made to feel as occupants exploited for our money and considering the fact that we spend a sensible portion of our days in traffic only makes matters worse.

The complexity of the system needs to be established to regulate this invasion is overwhelming. After all, placing regulations on the size and placement of banners is one thing and regulating their content is another because limiting the content would be barring creativity and freedom of speech. On the other hand, the public right to streetscape, air space and perceptual view of the city should be the fundamental priority. For if we wish to change our behavior towards our city we must feel we own it.