An Amusement & Diversion for The Genteel Cyclist. Daily.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Paris, Texas


The other day, we mentioned that Washington DC may become the first US city with a low-cost bike rental program underwritten by advertising -- a program modeled on Paris' Velib dealio.

The word was that the Texas radio monopoly, Clear Channel, would be the underwriter (and eventual profiteer) which would pay the outlay, and then sell ads on the bikes and at rental stations.

Now Clear Channel has bunnyhopped the pond, and they're doing the same thing in Caen, France. (See the plan and bikes here.)

The downside? If advertising economies of scale come into play, the bike-friendly ad companies of the world will stick to the most populated cities -- what they refer to as dense target markets.

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