One of my more vivid childhood memories is of the drive across the George Washington Bridge from New York to New Jersey, and zoning out to stare at what seemed like an endless procession of towering billboards displaying images of shiny cars, shiny models, and shiny promises of success.
Seriously, is there a kid in America who can’t name at least three cigarette brands offhand by the age of 6? We’re not so much aware of the ads as much as they sink in insidiously, becoming an integral part of our landscape.
This insidious manipulation was recently called into question in Israel’s High Court of Justice, by none other than the State Prosecutor’s Office. Green Action (Peula Yeruka) had brought charges against Nur Advertising for posting billboards on the Ayalon Highway. The charges? That the billboards flouted the Road Affixing of Signs Law, damaging the landscape and posing a threat to security.
