Logos on desks and screens on bikes — how far can advertising be pushed?

Daily Maverick

a day ago

Brands, sometimes unwisely, are competing for consumers' attention with messaging in formats that were previously unthinkable.
South Africans were amused and angered by the MiDesk-McDonald's saga in March, when the fast-food chain donated wheelie-style schoolbags that can convert into a desk, chair and solar-powered light to two underresourced schools in the Western Cape.
Perfectly sized for foundation phase learners to sit at, MiDesks are practical, affordable and life-changing for children in overcrowded schools. They have been endorsed by Unesco and the Department of Science and Innovation, and rolled out in multiple classrooms throughout South Africa.
But what infuriated many South Africans was the branding. Each of these sponsored and donated desks was emblazoned with the familiar red and yellow colours of McDonald's and the company's logo.
Of course, the donation was generous. McDonald's South Africa said the project was about hope and showing learners that they mattered. And maybe it was.
But it also means that a generation of children will associate their homework with Big Macs. The classroom – one of the few places that has been free from overt marketing – is now part of the media plan.
It's not an isolated example, either. Ad creep is happening everywhere and it's only getting more inventive and intrusive.
Ads on the move
South Africa's streets have been hit by an explosion of delivery scooters thanks to platforms such as Uber Eats and Mr D. As the number of bikes on the roads has grown, so has the temptation to turn them into moving billboards.
Ad-tech firms such as Polygon and MotionAds have seized the moment. Polygon fits delivery bikes with smart boxes (essentially mini digital billboards) that play digital ads based on the time of day and location – think breakfast specials in the morning or movie promos by night. MotionAds takes a different approach, wrapping entire scooters in branded vinyls and paying drivers a portion of the campaign fees.
From one perspective, it's a win-win situation. Drivers earn extra income and brands get visibility. But it also means that the daily commute is now full of bright, shifting, flickering ads. In cities already grappling with road safety issues, it's worth asking: are brands just adding more distractions?
Polygon and MotionAds
What South Africans are seeing are examples of something marketing insiders call 'ad creep' – the slow, steady infiltration of advertising into spaces where it hadn't previously been. Think back 20 years ago when ads used to be contained strictly inside clearly delineated spaces: a 30-second TV spot, a page in a magazine, a highway billboard.
Now, these borders are slowly disintegrating. Branding is showing up in bathrooms, on public bins, in doctor's offices and hospital corridors, even on rubbish trucks.
Examples of outrageous advert placements from around the world include:
In November 2008, 30 people living outside New Zealand shaved their hair off to display a temporary tattoo promoting Air New Zealand on the back of their heads. The company referred to these brand ambassadors as 'cranial billboards'. At least 75 Kiwis did the same;
A man named Bobby Godwin started a company called Earthstamp in 2010. His business created large rubber stamps that brands could use to create stamped ads on beach sand;
In 2011, fashion chain Superette promoted its range of super short shorts by putting indented plates on bus stops and park benches across Auckland, New Zealand. When people sat on them, the message 'Short shorts on sale Superette' was imprinted (temporarily) on the backs of their legs; and
In 2012, a Japanese public relations firm started paying young women to wear advertisements in the form of temporary stickers on their thighs.
Globally, there's a race for attention under way. As consumers shift away from traditional media, brands are scrambling to find new ways to get in front of them. And as this battle intensifies, the boundaries of what's acceptable are getting blurred.
Tech behind the invasion
Data is the name of the game in marketing these days. That's why smart TVs, game consoles and even fridges are now considered a part of the marketing ecosystem.
They track what people eat, what games they play, even their expressions while watching TV – all to build a richer picture of who the consumer is and what might persuade them to buy something.
Phones, of course, have become a surveillance tool. Every search, scroll and location ping feeds into a profile that makes targeting consumers easier and more direct.
It's no longer just about attention. It's about precision. Brands want to microtarget people at exactly the right moment – when they're hungry, bored, stressed, happy – and deliver a message that cuts through the noise. And to do that, they're willing to insert themselves into every imaginable corner of people's lives.
There's a compelling argument that all this noise is just the cost of living in a connected world. Some say that if an ad pays for a free service, or if it makes public infrastructure more accessible, then it's a small price to pay. Others argue that it's invasive, manipulative and even dangerous, particularly when it targets children or interrupts safety-critical environments.
So, what should businesses do?
For business owners, this creates a tricky dilemma. On the one hand, these new channels are affordable and effective. One can get one's brand on scooters, bins, desks and apps without blowing the budget. Consumers will be reached where they are, and maybe where they least expect it, which can be a good thing.
On the other hand, this strategy carries risk. As ads flood more and more unexpected spaces, the public grows more desensitised. Or worse, more irritated. People are starting to push back. They're installing ad blockers, tuning out, getting cynical. They don't want every experience in their lives (especially ones involving their kids or their health) to come with a sales pitch.
So, do business owners join the race and advertise everywhere? Or do they choose to hold back?
There's a strong argument for restraint. Just because a logo can appear on a classroom desk or a takeaway bike doesn't mean it should. In some cases, less is more, especially if a company is trying to build long-term trust or position itself as being values-driven. It's not about avoiding advertising altogether. It's about choosing placements wisely and thinking about where a brand belongs and where it doesn't.
In a world saturated with noise, attention is precious. And brands that understand this might just find that being selective, or even a little quieter, is what makes them stand out. DM