Maiden’s ads outshine BR’s new barriers

In an ad-packed world, brand owners go to great lengths to achieve that all-important “stand out”, slapping their name on everything from Chinese takeaway cartons to the bottom of pint glasses.

But poster contractor Maiden Outdoor’s advertising for the Evening Standard’s new recruitment Website Big Blue Dog (bigbluedog.com) at London’s Victoria station, caused concern among the station’s ever, ahem, helpful staff.

The ads were plastered on the floor, on the pillars and – most strikingly of all – on the shiny new ticket barriers.

The station staff took one look at the barriers and decided this was a clear case of illegal fly-posting and duly ripped them off in the interests of upholding law and order.

However the Diary, which suspects there is a serious absence of humour in anyone wearing a uniform, believes the ticket guards were outraged that someone had dared to mess with their nice, shiny new barriers.

As David Pugh, managing director of Maiden Outdoor, admits: “Ambient is a very vibrant area of outdoor to be in, but it does have its pitfalls.”