Flypost Advertising, Sharebikes and De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves

Sharebikes in Shanghai are so fundamentally integrated in the city’s infrastructure, they’ve begun to attract flypost advertising for commodities and services.

Flypost adverts traditionally cover construction barricades and utility poles. They’re a cheap guerrilla marketing tactic, and as old in cities as graffiti.

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Once they’re applied to sharebikes, the model assumes the advantage of mobile visibility, like dandelion fluff.

The whole initiative recalls De Sica’s 1948 Bicycle Thieves. A husband and father in post-war Italy finds a job as a flyposter. He rides around the city, pasting posters to walls, powered by his trusty bicycle:

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Until his bicycle is stolen, leading him on a fruitless (and tragic) chase through the city to recover it.

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2 Replies to “Flypost Advertising, Sharebikes and De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves”

  1. What a cool entry. I am following very closely as my city (Dallas) tries to implement its bike-sharing plans (or lack of plan). Ads on bikes haven’t shown up yet – something to think about.

    Thanks for sharing.

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