I was in route from Nanjing to Shanghai by means of the newly completed interstate. It was a nice change from the typical train rides I had taken in the past that stopped for passengers every 45 minutes along the route and ended in Shanghai with the usual amusement park wait in line for a taxi. Travelling the interstate from Nanjing to Shanghai allowed me the opportunity to learn even more about Chinese culture via the medium of the billboard.

The typical American billboard placed along our interstates invites the traveler to sleep, eat or get gas. The businesses on each interstate exit are well advertised at least 10 miles prior to the exit giving the traveler plenty of time to decide rather or not they want to stop or just keep on driving. Occasionally, you see a billboard that invites you to enjoy a local diner or a specialty shop like a flea market or outlet mall. As the traveler approaches a metropolitan area the advertisement becomes more specialized selling consumer based products and services to the local consumers. The local merchants may advertise cars and appliances, or where to get your haircut, local events and happenings, and other news relevant to the local consumer.

In contrast, the Chinese use the billboard in a much different fashion than Americans. On the interstate from Nanjing to Shanghai you will pass by the cities Zhenjiang, Changzhou, Wuxi, and Suzhou. Ancient cites, much older than the United States. You would think that old cities would have much to advertise to the weary traveler. Perhaps they could advertise a famous Chinese general that had slept overnight there or the best restaurant for roast duck. However, in most cases, the billboard will advertise industrial goods such as a computerized machine center, industrial valves and pumps, or air compressors. Surely these are things of interest to the weary traveler. I suppose that every Chinese family should have a computerized machine center on their back porch - just in case the industrial revolution hits the neighborhood. Or could it be that the advertiser anticipates an American buyer in every other vehicle that passes by? After all, the Americans love a great deal. Maybe I shouldn't be too critical of Chinese outdoor advertising. As I near the Pudong International Airport, I see billboards advertising airlines and rental cars. Things I kind of expect, since I am at the airport.

In America, the billboard is raised high above the traffic in a larger than life manner allowing drivers to see them from a half a mile away. Americans sometime think that even billboards can get out of hand or become an eye sore blocking the view of the landscape, somehow robbing us from the beauty of interstate travel. There are places in the US where billboards have been reduced from their towering presence to shorter height signs. Personally, I like tall billboards that inform me of what I can expect around the corner and over the rise. I like billboards that introduce me to a Starbucks about 10 miles ahead. This gives me time to anticipate. I like fresh Cappuccino when I drive long distances. Although some readers may disagree with me, I believe the American billboard is a cultural icon, a national treasure that identifies the American way of life via the interstate system.

On the other side of he world, the Chinese are not inhibited with the size of their billboards. I have seen billboards triple the size of those in the US, especially regarding the 2008 Olympics. Chinese billboards may run 100 feet in length and two stories high with only a dozen Chinese characters and no pictures. Much like the American billboard, the Chinese billboard identifies the Chinese way of life via their newly developed interstate system. A visiting traveler can identify the state of China's developing economy by reading billboard advertisement.

As the consumer markets in China grow, maybe we will see a change in the outdoor advertising landscape; perhaps a shift from industrial goods to consumer durable goods such as washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators. I hope that eventually the Chinese will realize that to truly meet basic consumer needs, a billboard advertising a "clean restroom" would appeal to this weary traveler after five hours of interstate travel. Better, still, would be a Starbucks billboard pointing the way to the next exit so I could indulge in my favorite cup of Joe.

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