Parking garages transformed by large-scale ads

Parking garages are notorious for being grim and grey affairs, unadorned by any significant form of decoration. That’s due largely to fire code regulations, but a new, patented technology now allows large-scale ads to be created on the walls of such garages, essentially transforming them into immersive, branded environments. Carspaze has created a new advertising platform for parking-garage walls centered on the ability to digitally print photo-quality images onto specially developed fire retardant materials. Developed three years ago, the process has undergone technical trials and improvements in Germany over the past two years. Now, focusing on garages near retail centers, Carspaze creates branded zones 10 to 20 parking spaces wide bearing advertising on the walls in front of parked cars. Only sustainable materials are used in the production of such advertising, including recycled panels and frames, wheel stops made from crushed rubber tires and lighting units made from recycled fiberglass and plastic. In addition to creating a more cheerful, safer-feeling parking place, the ads have been found both to give consumers a way to remember where they parked their cars and—no doubt as a direct result—to dramatically increase top-of-mind awareness for the brands advertised and boost purchase likelihood. Garage owners, meanwhile, receive revenue for each installation. We’re certainly not advocating the use of advertising on every available patch of public space, but there’s no doubt a bright, unified splash of branding can be a welcome improvement over the dimly lit concrete of most garages. Luxembourg-based Carspaze launched in Europe in 2008. In the US, jetBlue is pioneering the concept with installations at two shopping malls (Century City in Los Angeles and Tysons Corner Center in Northern Virginia), and a roll-out in Asia is planned for later this year. Carspaze is actively seeking franchise partners—one to bring to unadorned garage walls near you…?