dart-advertising

DART Advertising

Do you want to advertise, but can't afford the space rental? Why not try the DART? I was on it last night, and, as I was bored, I had a quick look. It is clear that people who advertise on the DART, by and large, cannot afford the same class of advertising company that people who advertise on, say, billboards use.

We see a few groups of ads. First, lowish-budget corporate:


No software! Indeed not! Simply apply your tongue to the antenna wire and feel the internet! Also, "Get ON to Clearwire before you get OFF"? Filth! And note the dubious capitalisation.


Sadly, you can't really see that in my poor photo, but it's an elderly couple with new shoes and the caption 'Get rid of the OLD PAIR' (old pair referring to either the shoes or the old people, you see). It's something to do with Dublin Waste. Now, I can sort of see what they're getting at, but the image that emerges is really a bit weird.


Next, an ad for a channel that nobody watches. Bit boring, but it's the first evidence I've seen in six months that they're still broadcasting, so that's something.


Again, a little unreadable. The text said "Authentic Asian cuisine with New Yoik attitude". Yes, New Yoik. Urgh.


Interesting in that, when this ad first turned up, it just had the two at the front. So they must be doing well. Good for them. Showing your entire staff on the ad is an interesting idea, certainly... Also, slightly mad capitalisation.

Then there are public service ads:



Not really too interesting. There was one better with about the logos of about ten organisations on it (for some reason, multiple government bodies often like to claim responsibility for these things). There seems to be a blood pressure hotline, though.

And then there's CIE's own advertising; there are special, differently-shaped slots reserved for this:


No, I don't know either.

Sometimes, they have random poetry in a few of these slots, but my carriage was mercifully free of such things.

And then there are the stations:



You can barely see that, but it's part of an ad for a pantomime. Interesting for two reasons; first, it contains the line "starring BEBO the dog" (presumably he stalks people), and second because it has quite the maddest collection of typography I've ever had the privilege of viewing. I'd say that there are at least twenty or thirty typefaces represented, all of them dreadful and all of them clashing.

But what if you're not convinced by the cheap advertising to stressed commuters route? Well, the sensible thing to do would be:


to coat a van in moss. Obviously. It's real moss, by the way. Note the hubcap. Note also the missing hubcap; I'm sure that puzzled whoever found it by the road. I'd assume the van has to be recoated from time to time, and presumably it does fall off and cause accidents at high speed, but it is innovative!