Abstract
This paper examines how outdoor advertising shapes the perception and meaning of commuting for cyclists in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), and how individualised constructions of place arise during the journey. New insights are developed for a sustainable urban policy, whilst challenging consumer research methodologies through an emphasis on urban rhythm. Interviews were enhanced through the use of video cameras, capturing the visual attention of advertisements and recording bodily engagement with the road. In contrast to much academic and industry research, it is found that the reception of advertising landscapes differs significantly between transportation types, with socio-cultural differences specific to Amsterdam also determining distinctions for cyclists. The use of data by advertisers to track the movement of cyclists is a contentious issue, with wider consequences for privacy and consent in urban daily life. This paper breaks new ground for sustainability in cycling, re-evaluating the daily-embodied experience of commercial landscapes for commuter-cyclists.
Highlights
If one navigates through particular cities, the confrontation with outdoor advertisements is almost guaranteed; their presence permeating different surfaces
We investigate the specificity in the embodied experience of commuting cyclists, exploring how the imperative of travelling to and from work becomes entangled with how the outdoor advertising landscapes are perceived
We reveal a nuanced set of accounts, specific to the social and cultural contexts of a cycle route used by commuters in Amsterdam
Summary
If one navigates through particular cities, the confrontation with outdoor advertisements is almost guaranteed; their presence permeating different surfaces. Billboards positioned on roadsides, to metro station walls. The proliferation of this form of advertising has a profound effect on the look and feel of a city. 1410) urban landscapes, we address how city dwellers visually derive a sense of place through the interaction of outdoor advertisements whilst moving through space. City landscapes are shown often to be ”marketable commodities” [3]; little is said, of the empirical experience of commercialised environments—i.e., those containing advertisements. Rather than broadly examining ”the city”, we explore the daily urban experiences of specific areas containing advertisements, focussing on cyclists. While commercial landscapes have been studied for those perceived by pedestrians [5,6], little has been said for the experience of a cyclist. By drawing attention to the potential that advertising has to shape and influence the personal experience of cycling, we raise critical questions of whether they are detrimental to the encouragement and development of cycling as a sustainable mode of transport
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