A corflute sign in the suburbs. Photos: Tim Gavel.
We are awash with corflute signs! Signs made of double-sided board that is plastic rather than paper litter the streets. Real estate agencies, building sites, and many other commercial operators use these signs because they are lightweight, weatherproof, and reasonably cheap to put up.
We have seen a proliferation across Canberra with the coming election and like many people in Canberra, it’s got me thinking: does corflute advertising actually work?
It must work, given the proliferation of the signs on stakes across Canberra’s main roads and suburban streets in the lead-up to the Federal election.
It would appear though, that our politicians, in seeking to take advantage of free advertising, have plenty of competition these days with school fetes, concerts and sporting groups occupying space, which in the past, may have been taken by candidates only.
The emergence of the corflute is as close as the ACT gets to the outdoor advertising and billboard signs so noticeable once you cross the border.
Sporting groups, it would appear, are quickly realising the value of corflute advertising with junior registrations high on the agenda, closely followed by advertising for sporting fixtures and spring time fetes.
Did this sign entice people to the Brumbies game?
What was once deemed the domain of political parties with pictures of smiling faces – more of a distraction to drivers than anything else – is now seen by sport and the community as a legitimate form of advertising.
For sporting groups, I believe it is a cost-effective way to promote, although some have far too much information for passing motorists given the majority are on main thoroughfares.
To many, it is akin to neighbourhood pollution to have streets awash with political corflutes, while for others it is a sign of grassroots democracy. People expressing outrage at the signs on stakes appear to have the ability to differentiate between politics and everything else propped up on these sticks in the ground.
National Capital Rally corflute signage.
Debate raged in the lead-up to the last election, but there seems to be little in the way of outrage this time around. This is partly understandable as there are fewer candidates seeking our votes than there are for local ACT Assembly elections, therefore less corflutes. There are also new regulations in place for next year’s local elections.
Sport and community groups would appear to have filled the corflute-void.
What do you think? Do corflutes work as an advertising strategy? Share your comments below.
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