The popularity of outdoor advertising is beyond doubt: the growing number of billboards, advertising leaflets, banners and elevator ads speaks for itself.
Control over the placement of outdoor advertising was first exercised by Peter I. He issued a decree prohibiting merchants from placing signs near buildings so as not to spoil the overall appearance of the city.
The Moscow City Hall has prepared a new project under which, before distributing leaflets or placing a message on a billboard, one will need to undergo an additional check. The name of this project is "Rules for Placement of Information Structures in Moscow." Absolutely all advertising announcements will have to be coordinated with the Department of Advertising and Mass Media. Street signs are allowed to be placed only on the ground floor level of a building. Each building may have no more than one outdoor advertising sign.
This project is still under discussion. Vladimir Chernikov, head of the Department of Mass Media and Advertising, stated that several hearings will be held before its adoption. This bill is aimed at improving the appearance of streets, since often advertising signs almost obscure a building. The advertiser will not have to stand in long queues or travel around the city to approve an advertising sign: this can be done via the Internet. The new document will allow owners of hotels, shopping centers and banks to place advertising signs on the roof of a building, but only once. By the way, within the Garden Ring, placing signs will be prohibited.
Due to the adoption of new rules for the distribution of advertising, most of the city's advertising billboards will be dismantled. The bill may also hinder entrepreneurial activity, establishing new administrative barriers for business. The effectiveness of shopping centers may also decrease, since names and logos will be displayed in limited numbers. That is, retail facilities will not be highlighted, and visitors will not be able to pay attention to them. Tightening the rules for outdoor advertising may reduce advertising revenue overall.
There remains hope that when reviewing this bill, the Moscow authorities will find a compromise for entrepreneurial activity. The rules for placement of outdoor advertising and information structures were considered by the government in October.
PR