DISPLAY Advertising on trams will be definitively stopped at the beginning of January, after several criticisms of the choice of advertisers. It brought in an average of 400,000 euros per year for Semitan
An advertisement for a zoo on a line 1 tram in Nantes. — M.Gile/Sipa
- From January 5, there will be no more advertising for private advertisers on Nantes trams.
- This measure taken by Semitan is a response to the controversy aroused by certain campaign choices.
- The renunciation leads to a loss of earnings in a delicate context for the finances of public transport.
A tram crossing the city dressed in unusual colors and slogans praising the merits of a Swedish department store, a telephone manufacturer or an animal park. The people of Nantes had ended up getting used to; this occasional practice, launched more than ten years ago. But advertising exhibited on tramway trains is currently living its last days. On January 5, the last display contract on this medium will have ended. Semitan, which operates the public transport network on behalf of Nantes Métropole, has in fact decided to to say stop after the controversy sparked by the traffic in September of a revamped tram; with company color of Flink deliveries.
The latter has a “dark store” rue des Olivettes, which is dotted; singled out by residents and elected officials for the nuisances it generates in the public space. In the past, advertising campaigns in favor of low-cost airlines had also suffered. reviews.
Seriously ?!! On parle des Darkstores que l’on ne souhaite pas à mais on en fait la promo sur le 🤔 pic.twitter.com/DmktcuJCVW
— Sebastien Bouchard (@sebbouchard)
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“The simplest thing is still to say that there will be no more advertising on the trams,” reacts Pascal Bolo, president of Semitan, aware of the “risk of contradiction with the orientations of our public policies. This decision is, moreover, in perfect coherence with the reduction of advertising space throughout the city center.”
“We must be able to deprive ourselves of 400,000 euros”
According to Semitan, the adhesive campaigns on the tram brought in around 400,000 euros per year. On the side Nantes Métropole, we are talking about an amount close to 700,000 euros. In both cases, a lack of significant gain in the delicate financial context experienced by all urban transport networks since the health crisis, in particular at Nantes where free the weekend has been in effect since spring 2021. The renunciation of these advertising revenues is not unanimously accepted. within the political class, including within the majority; socialist city of Nantes.
“On the financial level, it’s not totally neutral obviously, but it’s not decisive in the balance of our public transport, argues Pascal Bolo. When we have to spend 20 million euros more on energy costs as is going to be the case, we must be able to deprive ourselves of 400,000 euros in advertising revenue.” “Every euro earned is welcome to finance public transport. We will have to find this money elsewhere, or save it. We hope that this will not be at the expense of the company”s operating budget,” nuance Didier Sauvêtre, delegate. CFDT, the majority union at the Semitan.
Note that campaigns on the bodywork of trams will remain authorized when it is a question of communication in favor of the State, Nantes Métropole or the TAN, pre ;chise the Semitan.