São Paulo, Brazil, should start the New Year with its streets free from billboards and several other kinds of advertising including panels covering wall buildings and electronic panels known in the industry as backlights and frontlights.
The bill prohibiting the use of outdoor advertising has been approved today by São Paulo’s city council. São Paulo mayor Gilberto Kassab will now have 30 days to sign the law that will also ban advertising in cabs, buses and bicycles.
Starting January 1st, 2006, ads will only be allowed in closed environments and on already built structures like bus shelters, street plates and poles for temperature and time meters.
São Paulo has 13,000 billboards, 8,000 of which are believed to be irregular. There was quite a heavy lobbying by ad agencies to prevent the passing of the law.
The new legislation called Clean City will impose a fine of close to US$ 5,000 for each violation.
The bill, which had been sent by the mayor, got overwhelming approval from the council members. There were 45 votes in favor and only one against project.