Gems of Opportunity: Advertising Industry Concept: "Corporate Street Sponsorship"

Hello All,

I missed posting this innovative conceptual design last month so I start off this month with it as a lead entry. As always "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site has over 200+ original (as far as I know) conceptual designs as inspirational seeds in summary form. For the general public and fellow designers of which ever eclectic industry to find interest within. My concepts go back 11 years time posted here and these are the tip of the iceberg as the notable ones. Since I have hundreds more written down via clairvoyant automatic writing in scores of notebooks. I consider what I do to be an "Angelic Oracle Imagineer" and this is the Imagineer (no relation to Disney) portion of my dharma.

Today's inspirational seed conceptual design impacts both local municipalities and the corporate advertising industry. In this case, it's a twofer as a hopefully total Win / Win Scenario. Many of us have seen mostly along suburban roadways signs like the one above adopted by the 4-H Club, Rotary Club, United Way, and even Kiwanis. Where such nonprofits on a pro-bono basis take care of the landscaping costs of a roadway in your local community. Helping the local municipality in their budget by making one less expenditure year round.

Taking that model from above and giving it a corporate sponsorship twist is what I have in mind. For example, Miami Florida is my hometown although I currently reside further north in Sarasota, Florida. In Miami, there are a couple gentrified commercial pedestrian shopping districts such as "Sunset Place" in South Miami and Coconut Grove. The latter has high-end luxury shops, art galleries, eateries, and a public open-air mall known as "Cocowalk".

Keeping those neighborhood's in mind now picture corporate sponsorship of certain limited thoroughfares for traffic and pedestrians. Just like the non-profits listed above in the current model have adopted roadways by providing landscaping services. In this conceptual model, the corporate sponsors will provide one of three services if not all of them at high-end marquee locations.

• Take on the landscaping costs at a select roadway at a municipality
• Provide liter trash pick-up such as by sidewalks in their allotted spot
• Provide public easements as in beautifying landscaping (flowers and seasonal plants) and other street fixtures like a public bench or solar powered LED street light

In return for this by the corporate sponsorship, the municipality allows for discounted advertising at such limited venues. For example, in beautifying a street median with landscaping flowers. The flowering plants can match the colors of the corporate logo or consumer brand when they are in bloom. At select stop sign intersections have a metal sign placard attached underneath a street sign pole stipulating who the corporate sponsor is at that given street or thoroughfare.

The asphalt by the stop sign intersection on the ground can have the company or consumer brand logo painted in neon glow in the dark (environmentally sustainable) ink. The neon colors can include sparkly elements to aid pedestrians walking during low light night conditions especially in those shopping districts. The corporate logo or consumer brand logo can have raised lettering slightly above the ground to act like a speed bump in pedestrian locations. Any easements provided by the corporate sponsor such as public benches or a street light can be shrink warped with a consumer brand image and logo. Finally, sidewalks can have limited size branded mural images painted on by select designated sidewalks along the route allotted to the sponsor by the municipality.

(The above Image is from the Sarasota Florida 2011 Chalk Festival by the artist: Leon Keer of the Netherlands.)

Besides gentrified neighborhoods with pedestrian shopping districts, this concept will also benefit street festivals for corporate consumer brands. Such as fast food, clothing apparel, electronic stores, mobile phone providers, discount stores (ie Walmart), grocers, beverage companies (ie soda and beer), even local car dealerships for instance.

There are 2 modes of implementation I can envision for a municipality that they can utilize in setting this up. First, by having a Permitting Auction Event once a year by carving the local municipal map into zones. Where the high pedestrian traffic areas are considered premium locations down to less popular segments further away like side streets. The high-end pedestrian locales are automatically considered for all three services listed above without exception. (ie landscaping, trash pick-up, and public easements) Although the corporation gets the full package of advertising goodies as the going discounted rate. (ie metal placard on street sign, advertising on asphalt, public bench, mural branded sidewalk, street light, and flowering plants in corporate logo colors)

The second method is what I term the sloppy piece meal fashion where corporations petition one by one for available slots. Negotiating individually versus all at one go for the municipality via an annual permitting auction event. Regardless of which package of services they provide to the local city or county at the time.

Additional considerations are as follows in either implementation method be it the auction or first come first served basis. The municipality can choose that when a corporate sponsor selects any spot to beautify, maintain, and provide public easements. They also become responsible for a low-income neighborhood roadway picked by the local county and not the corporate sponsor. The corporate sponsor gets to pick their preferred suburban or luxury neighborhood spot if available. But, they are required to adopt a low-income revitalization location as well in continuation of being a good community steward and partner with the city or county government.

There are restrictions for the low-income advertising neighborhoods. For example, such as no alcoholic beverage ads and company or consumer brand logos to help mitigate alcoholism in poverty areas. All street asphalt brand logos and sidewalk murals must be pre-approved by the city on a per submission basis. So as to fit with any criteria as in size, cultural representation (to avoid something in poor taste as discriminatory), color scheme, etc... When a corporate sponsor has more than three locations permitted for the year with advertising. They can be required to offer one or more spots with public health advertisements similar to the "Ad Council" does with television commercial and billboard spots. All advertising (ie corporate brands or public health ads) spots can be designated for year round or be replaced on a seasonal basis adapting to consumer shopping periods.

Lastly, a toll-free Tip Hotline can be established maintained by either the corporation or the municipality to receive citizen inquiries, concerns, and complaints. Which is either dealt with by the company if it pertains to an oversight in upkeep at such a designated location. Or followed up by the local government especially if complaints start to stack up by an oversight or other pressing need.

This is what I had in mind for such a Win / Win Scenario between corporations and a local city or county municipality location. The consumer brand company gets to provide limited good samaritan services as in landscaping, maintenance, beautification, and public easements. The city or county municipality gets to plug several holes in their local government budget. Besides, obtain additional revenue with the annual permitting fees and advertising rates they stipulate. The common citizen and guest to the city and county receives the benefits for well looked after pedestrian walkways and traffic locations. Aiding public health and safety overall throughout the year maintained by a private and public partnership.

Ivan "Atrayo" Pozo-Illas, has devoted 21 years of his life to the pursuit of clairvoyant automatic writing channeling the Angelic host. Ivan is the author of the spiritual wisdom series of "Jewels of Truth" consisting of 3 volumes published to date. He also channels conceptual designs that are multi-faceted for the next society to come that are solutions based as a form of dharmic service. Numerous examples of his work are available at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site of 11 years plus online. Your welcome to visit his website "Jewelsoftruth.us" for further information or to contact Atrayo directly.