1. How boring it is when a company buys up an entire car's advertising space. It prevents me from learning about a more diverse set of opportunities/ideas, including pharmaceutical studies, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and new churches.
2. Why have the full system maps near the doors been replaced by more ads? The last time I was on the Orange Line, there was only one system map in the car, pasted to the window at one end.

Regarding # 1:

By roadman on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 5:16pm.

"Train Domination" and "Station Domination" (to use the MBTA's slang for blanket ad campaigns) are not only monotonous for the riders, but they deny access to ad space for those smaller businesses that want to advertise on the T at a few selected prime spots, yet cannot afford the costs of those blanket programs.

Regarding # 2:

Several years back, some legislators complained to the T about the lack of system maps in trains and streetcars. The T replied that they couldn't afford to lose the advertising space, so the compromise was to place system map decals within the ad racks - the idea being that when the rack wasn't filled with an ad, the system map would be visible. Based on the average number of ad racks I see filled on Orange Line cars, this normally leaves at least two system maps visible. By filling ALL the available ad spaces, "Train Domination" upsets this balance.

I will add this point: The contractor responsible for updating and replacing ads in the T system does NOT do so on a timely basis. To take a recent example, Walk for Hunger's walk and 20K race was on May 7th, 2017. Yet, over a month later, it's still being promoted on several Green Line streetcars. I seriously doubt that whichever media donor to WFH paid for the advertising agreed to have the ads run well past the date of the event.

Thanks roadman

By Ben_Quahog on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 6:49pm.

Interesting details. Pity the tourist who wants to know where they are/where they are going.

I like domination!

By Gary C on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 9:09am.

Honestly I like domination. It is a very effective way to create brand awareness. I rode the T this week for the first time in a while and now I'm all up-to-date about Eat24 (the food delivery service from Yelp!)

Having small ads placed at several strategic

By roadman on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 1:51pm.

locations throughout the T system creates brand awareness. Plastering your message in every conceivable open space in one or two specific stations (like North Station subway and commuter rail, which is a popular "domination" spot) where the same people walk by four or five days a week is just an obnoxious waste of resources.

But I guess the T and their ad contractor are unfamiliar with the concept of "oversaturation".

Horray!

By BostonDog on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 5:30pm.

Less competition for delivery! Better return on some VC's investment!

Hooray!

By roadman on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 5:58pm.

One less company in a grossly over saturated business. Sorry, but 22 - excuse me - 21 food delivery services is not sustainable.

You like monopolies?

By SwirlyGrrl on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 7:07pm.

I think that the market will decide whether or not there are too many delivery services, doncha think?

Seems to be doing so

By Lecil on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 7:15pm.

I've found that the only differential really between these two was quality of service. I regularly found
zero price difference for the same restaurants, and while I had a few orders with Foodler vanish
into the void GrubHub has always seemed to work well for me. Not sad to see Foodler go.

Monopolies? In Food Pimping?

By be not logged in on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 12:56am.

Can see your point of view from the standpoint of having the Boston Mob not being controlled by Chicago, in any event. (Shrug.)

I think that was Roadman's

By anon on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 8:49am.

I think that was Roadman's point Swirly. Feeling feisty on a friday morning are we?

One FEWER

By Chief Grammarian on Thu, 06/08/2017 - 11:47pm.

food delivery company.

Correction:

By be not logged in on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 12:59am.

Food Pimping App.

Whaaaaaat!

By anon on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 7:26am.

I've given GrubHub a shot several times but Foodler is so much better, not just in available restaurants but completeness of menus, ordering options, search, etc.
I've seen too many acquisitions to trust that all the good stuff Foodler has will be pushed upstream to GrubHub.

Raise your hand if....

By Gary C on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 9:06am.

you have never used one of these food delivery services and probably never will.

My hand is raised

By roadman on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 12:26pm.

Call me old school, but I still find that the most effective and timely way to order food is to call the restaurant directly, place my order, and then go and pick it up myself.

But I guess that's too much effort for the texting generation.

Now Food Delivery as a whole

By Vlad on Fri, 06/09/2017 - 1:16pm.

Is a great failing to be hung around the neck of millenials?

Forget the fact that it's been around for multiple generations, what is so wrong with having a pizza delivered?

One less food-delivery company to buy ads on the T

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