Oxygen Ads Reinforcing Stereotypical Images Of Beauty Get Embellished

Someone isn't happy with an ad campaign for the Oxygen network reinforcing stereotypical standards of beauty, currently on display in one of connecting tunnels at the 14th Street 8th Avenue L train station.

Did Jet Blue Encourage Employee Steven Slater To Open Emergency Door And Exit Down Emergency Chute?

Steven Slater, the Jet Blue employee who berated a passenger and grabbed some beers before making his exit down the emergency chute, appears to have been following Jet Blue's own advice. In an ad campaign now running in New York City subway cars, Jet Blue wants you to remain: "True to removing barriers and opening doors." The accompanying video explains: "We're looking to open doors and explore new things and we can only do that by saying yes. Yes I should take this risk, yes I'm gonna open this door and see where it leads."

Steven Slater obviously agrees. Reached by telephone, Jet Blue Corporate Communications had no comment, except to refer to a statement posted online on Tuesday. Watch the appropriately titled ad—that potentially encouraged Slater to make his dramatic exit—below.

Target And MTA Unveil First Full Length Subway Train Wrapped In Advertising

Yesterday morning, the 6 train become the first ever full length train completely wrapped in advertising to run on the New York City subway system. The cartoonish and unexpected ad wrapped train, in support of a new Target opening in East Harlem this July, will run for six weeks, generating $250,000 in revenue for the MTA. (See a full set of photos here.)

You may have seen subway cars wrapped in ads before—the three car Times Square shuttle, for instance.  The History Channel and Google both wrapped the Times Square shuttle in 2008 when the MTA began to allow a full wrap of trains. More recently, the Netherlands Board of Tourism wrapped the shuttle in what might be the most elaborate and complicated wrap yet, due to its extensive detailing (photo album here). But never before has a full length train been wrapped.

Below, watch video of the full train travel through the 96 Street station to fully appreciate the bizarre nature of seeing our beloved trains covered in red and white circles.

Shell Oil To New York City: We're Not As Bad As BP

That seems to be the message Shell Oil is trying to convey to New York City residents via their latest ad campaign. BP might not have a clue as to how to proceed, but Shell Oil does, and they are going to tell you about it.

The Dalai Lama Smokes Trees

Taking the concept of adopting trees to a more consumer friendly conclusion, one clever commuter passing through the 86th Street 6 train station took a moment to enhance an advertisement featuring his holiness, who is due to make an appearance at Radio City Music Hall this May.

A rather large joint was added, protruding from the Dalai Lama's lips. Care was used to add detail, as they even embellished their handiwork with flame to create an actual burn mark the size of a cigar on the Dalai Lama's joint.

Check it out below...

Whose work do you find more interesting? The one above, or noted plagarist Shepard Fairey's take on the Dalai Lama?

Previously on 86th St: Going Back To Breuckelen: Remixing Subway Signs For The 1600s

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Battling For Your Religious And Spiritual Beliefs

This summer, an Atheist Bus Campaign was spearheaded by New York City Atheist, followed this fall by subway ads sponsored by The Big Apple Coalition of Reason, as seen in this photo here.

Now the Marble Collegiate Church is striking back, with a lone ad (at top) spied on the D train. What they lack in quantity and coverage, they make up for with smart, relevant statements that clearly identify the players in this game. Google, or God.

Make the right choice.

(disclaimer: We live a blessed life, and am not entirely sure who is responsible, though our friends and family sure deserve a lot of credit.)

Advertising platforms proliferate in the Times Square subway station

Google is wrapping the shuttle trains. A few blocks down at Herald Square, Asics is projecting itself against the wall. The NY Times recently reported on the variety of advertising options new and old, that CBS Outdoor -as the company that handles all the advertising in the subway stations- is now exploring, such as projecting images on the train tunnel itself, (similar to Boston and LA) ads on the turnstiles, steps, etc...Like it or not, it seems the already substantial amount of advertising in our subway stations are going to get more pronounced.

In a recent visit to the Times Square station, which seems to be the testing point for new ads, NYC The Blog photographed some, but not all of these new advertising spaces, such as turnstiles arms. Turnstile arms, Really? Well Navyformoms.com has opted to claim some in the Times Square station to questionable effect. Maker's Mark wanted a set of stairs, as did Bank of America.

"Advertisers are eager for any new way to capture consumers' attention." the Times wrote. Maybe a little to eager, hmm? They continued, "'Advertisers, especially in this environment, are looking to do something different and be noticed,' said Jodi Senese, the executive vice president for marketing for CBS Outdoor. 'When something is new, clearly there's an
opportunity to make a big splash,' she said."

That seems reasonable, and the new projection display the company began leasing last week over a passageway in the station appears to hit that mark, grabbing your attention, but in a way that does not feel intrusive or over the top. Photos at right.

All in all there is a very large amount of advertising in that station, in relation to elsewhere, which often is already quite substantial. It seems as though most commuters ignore the advertisements, and I wonder how effective any of it is, particularly the more intrusive work on the stairs, turnstiles, etc...Often times any reaction I might have is averse. The digital projections are not so bad, for instance, and the wrapping of trains...Maybe ok also. After all is said and done though, I don't have any money anyways, so...

<Google Wraps Times Square Subway Shuttle In Advertisement>
<Asics Digital Projection Ad: Union Square Subway Station>
<The Train Is Coming. And With It, More Ads.>

Google Wraps Times Square Subway Shuttle In Advertisement

The History Channel was recently the first to take advantage of the MTA's new decision to allow a complete wrapping of subway cars in advertisements, when they wrapped the shuttle train in Times Square. And now Google has stepped up as the next concern to wrap a train, wrapping three exterior cars with an advertisement for Google Maps, slightly less understated then the History Channel's ad, if such a thing could be, as Google has only wrapped the exterior of the train, leaving the interior with the more traditional ads we are used to seeing in the square displays or banners up top.

The Times Square station seems to be ground zero for utilization of a number of uncommon advertising uses, with columns, steps, turnstile arms, trains, and many other surfaces being covered in ads. More pictures below of the Google train below.

[UPDATE: Adage is reporting that Google advertisements inside the train which offer directions are erroneously giving wrong information. "Specifically, we spotted this erroneous tip inside the train car: To get from Grand Central to Madison Square Garden, take the 1, 2 or 3 train and then walk to 4 Penn Plaza. Only the 1, 2 or 3 train doesn't run through Grand Central -- it goes through Times Square. Oops!"]

Related:

• Asics Digital Projection Ad: Union Square Subway Station
  
• Straphangers At 163rd St C Train Station View Less Number Of Advertisements
  
• Obama Wins; Subway Trains Parade Down 125th St Last Night.
• The Most Cavernous Subway Station In NYC?