Editor:
One way to discourage the billboards along Highway 101 (“Billboard Blight,” March 29) is not to patronize the businesses on the billboards. If these businesses were to discover that billboards are not cost effective, they will then seek other means of advertising that do not affect our view of the bay. If the billboard owners cannot rent the billboard space, they would not be so motivated to hang onto them through lawsuits and complaints.
This suggestion is nothing personal against the businesses that advertise on the billboards; they are honestly trying to keep their businesses going during economic hard times, and that is a good thing. However, these businesses could explore alternate methods of publicity that are just as effective as the billboards.
And by the way, as an HSU alumna, I think it is particularly egregious that a university that takes pride in its ecology programs and green underpinnings would promote the Jacks on one of those bay blighting billboards. Couldn’t HSU promote the Jacks just as effectively on its very own eponymous radio station?
Marilyn Andrews, Arcata
Editor:
Just about all billboards are ugly.
Traveling into a strange town, I have found them helpful sometimes. For example, I rely on billboards to locate my favorite tourist attraction in Reno, the Sierra Trading Post. But pump repair? Cell phones? There’s got to be a better way.
Susan Nolan, McKinleyville
This article appears in The World is Yours, Oyster Farmer.
SAY WHAT? SO U WOULD RATHER HAVE WALMART SIGNS EVERYWHERE INSTEAD OF LOCAL BIZ? BECAUSE THATS EXACTLY WHO WILL TAKE THE SIGNS OVER AFTER YOU MAKE THE LOCAL BUSINESSES SUFFER. I completely understand and agree that this situation is absurd and has gone round and round far too long. I wish billboards weren’t located along the Bay. I just feel that ‘voting for the ugliest sign’ OR BOYCOTTING LOCAL BUSINESSES is negative and only brings down local companies RATHER THAN focusing the attention on the real root of the problem –>The sleazy, loop hole finding corporation in New York that constructs/owns the majority of the signs!!! <– Maybe it would be more productive to provide us with information on who we can contact locally, a name and an address in New York to bombard with letters, or a link to an online petition to sign…. I don’t know??? Anything except single out a local company billboard. I know that your overall intentions are good; I just don’t see how this vote or boycott contributes to the good of the cause. The folks that are passionate enough about this situation should be directed to put all of their energy and opinions towards the CBS company in New York. In my opinion, trying to alienate/boycott a local business (to do what? deter them from advertising there?) is not at all beneficial because there is another business (perhaps WALMART – lol) that is waiting in the wings to advertise in that spot next. The negativity of this suggestion to boycott is the probably not the best way to be thinking..or approaching this situation.
The problem is in car culture California billboards really work.
Interesting history factoid: Before Hwy 101 the billboards in Eureka faced the WATER. The better to attract the attention of travellers on incoming ships.
Actually I believe there was a turkey bag sign there before Estelle. Or maybe that was the billboard over from that–anyhow it is not generally used for big business unless it is travel based industries. Otherwise they stay pretty much local with or without campaigns. My observations of course.