Sao Paulo
drops the
mask An article by Bruno Giussani published in L''Hebdo and reprinted by Courrier International
It''s a revolution in the economic capital of Brazil: since January 2007, a law, the "Law for a clean city", forbids all
advertising in its streets.
Signs, neons, posters, billboards, electronic screens are disappearing in the Brazilian megalopolis of more than eleven million inhabitants.
The measure was strict and millions of dollars in fines have already been distributed.
The result for the city: forgotten facades and buildings are being discovered or rediscovered, once obscured by the ubiquitous advertising.
Pending the resurgence of regulated advertising, companies become crafty and employ some taggers for painting walls and extolling the virtues of their trade.
In the end, 70% of the city''s inhabitants, los Paulistas, claim to be satisfied with the law.
A
law that could pave the way for other cities: the
city of Rome in Italy has already begun to get rid of the pervasive publicity in its historic districts.
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