Subway Advertisements Get Creative

It seems like no place is safe from marketing these days. Advertisements have expanded for commuters from the sides of busses and the tops of taxi cabs to televisions in the back of taxis and almost every square inch of the inside of a subway car. Well, commuters, make room for even more commercial space in New York City Transit.

Last month, the Transportation Nation website reported reported that The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) has allowed both Shuttle trains—which run from Times Square to Grand Central Station—to have advertisements on the outside of the train. One train advertises Brazilian tourism, and the other has ads for TNT’s television series “Falling Skys”. According to Aaron Donovan, a spokesman for the MTA, there are 16 train cars that are “fully wrapped,” meaning that they are completely covered in advertising. “That’s at least equal to, if not more than, the most we’ve ever had,” Donovan said.

There’s also the idea of “Station Domination,” in which a single company buys all of the advertising space in a subway station. While Mohegan Sun casinos take up all of the advertising at the Bryant Park and Columbus Circle subway stations, Grand Central Station has been dominated with ads for Absolut Vodka. Publicity for The Lion King on Broadway dominates the subway station at Union Square, and ads for VH1’s show “The Single Ladies” have taken over the station at Atlantic Avenue. Swarovski Crystals has used that strategy, as well.

Video is another strategy being used to promote marketing to travelers, and the MTA is also considering implementing 3D images, in-tunnel advertising, and, exterior ads for commuter trains in the future. In 2011, the MTA brought in $120 million with advertising sales, the highest profit since before the recession began. This number was up from $109 million for 2009 and 2010.

In Seoul, South Korea, they’ve taken advertising one step farther, using the floor to create a beach seen on the train. Check out the pictures here.