Go to previous post:
What conservatism is.

Go to Electrolite's front page.

Go to next post:
Topic sentences.

Our Admirable Sponsors

April 15, 2005

The end of advertecture. As of this morning, the 20-story H&M ad previously wrapping the point of the Flatiron Building has been removed. The city was already on the building owners’ case, but rumor inside the building is that a certain corporate tenant whose name rhymes with “bolts drink” sat down with the building’s owners for a frank and full exchange of views.

I’m only guessing, but offhand, I’d say that if you plan to hang giant ads off of your landmark high-rise commercial building, you might want to not cover the windows of the exact part of the building where your tenants’ biggest of corporate wigs all have their offices. I’m just sayin’. [01:22 PM]

Welcome to Electrolite's comments section.
Hard-Hitting Moderator: Teresa Nielsen Hayden.

Comments on The end of advertecture.:

Patrick Connors ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 02:36 PM:

I'm having quite the time parsing "bolts drink", although it's possible that I simply don't know the company. I'm not asking you to actually name them, just thanking you for the puzzle.

So when will all of the scaffolding come down?

Michael Weholt ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 03:20 PM:

... I’d say that if you plan to hang giant ads off of your landmark high-rise commercial building, you might want to not cover the windows of the exact part of the building where your tenants’ biggest of corporate wigs all have their offices.

I wonder if the landlord attended a talk on "Strategies that Get Results".

Derek Lowe ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 03:50 PM:

I'm not asking you to actually name them, just thanking you for the puzzle.

The firm isn't a household name, unless, of course, your household is connected with academic publishing. As for me, I made about $200 last year in royalties from John Wiley & Sons, so academic publishing is naturally the sun around which my family's finances revolve.

Beth Meacham ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 04:09 PM:

Hurrah! Glad it's gone, and just in time for the weekend. Somehow, I'm sure that your scenario is the correct one. I can only imagine how one particular nose-cone office inhabitant felt about the sign.

Madeleine Robins ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 05:48 PM:

Who says there are no happy endings in publishing any more? Glad the Flatiron can once again breathe free.

PiscusFiche ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 06:36 PM:

I think I parsed Ho--bolts drink, I mean, successfully. Could be wrong.

But let there be rejoicing.

I saw another, much smaller advert from H&M hanging off of another building here in SF (my new haunting ground) and pointed it out to Lee. "Look, the same people who are mucking up the Flatiron." He recognised the logo immediately.

Glad to hear it is down.

Suzanne M ::: (view all by) ::: April 15, 2005, 09:58 PM:

"Bolts drink". Hee. Got it in one. But then, I interviewed with them once.

Thank God that ad is gone. The one time I saw it, I was quite literally nauseous.