As Sony Music pledges to stop using flyposting campaigns to promote their music, the UK's leading 'urban marketing' agency, Diabolical Liberties, has responded to the legal threats made by a North London council to anyone who flyposts.
As previously reported, London's Camden Council are attempting to use the 'anti social behaviour order' system to stop companies from fly posting. The Council asked the court to serve ASBO injunctions against senior marketing execs at both Sony and BMG in the UK. If the courts back the Council on this, it would mean those major label employees would be personally liable to fines or even prison sentences if they sanctioned flyposting campaigns, on the grounds flyposting constitutes anti-social behaviour. Sony Music have pledged to stop flyposting on condition Camden drop their legal action against them. BMG, however, are yet to respond meaning Camden's stretching of the ASBO system to cover flyposting may well now be tested in court.
With a long history in planning and executing flyposting campaigns Diabolical Liberties have questioned Camden Council's use of the ASBO system, and have called on the Council to follow other local authorities in the UK and set up a legal flyposting network.
The company's communications manager Adrienne Merrill says: "The legal question of if ASBO legislation is effective against the use of fly posters is still not answered. Yesterday's court proceedings [relating to Sony] didn't lead to an ASBO being served - and neither did they create any beneficial outcomes for Camden or any other borough in the city".
Taking on the tricky task of defending flyposting, Merrill continues: "Urban media is incredibly important for marketing arts, music and events within localities, fly posters have been a mainstay of urban communications for literally hundreds of years. It's a part of the city infrastructure and plays a really valid and unique role in supporting youth culture - which is one of the key inspirations for Britain's creative edge. The criminalisation of cultural media is a backward step. And a total ban on urban media will mark the start of the complete homogenisation of our cities, an environment that won't support the continuation of the creative edge which makes the UK still rather special".
Calling on Camden Council to adopt a middle ground position Merrill continues: "Diabolical Liberties have for many years been actively supporting various organisations around the UK who manage and develop authorised legal street poster schemes in cities throughout the UK. These groups work in collaboration with the local councils and install a variety of fixed structures such as drums, framed boards, blue vinyl window fronts. These sites are highly maintained and managed and 40% of the space is given over to local arts, events and charity notices at a vastly subsidised rates."
"All the councils taking part have seen clearly visible results as fly posters have stopped blighting the city in an unregulated style, while the the communities have continued to have local space made open to them in a style that young people can relate to. Why can't this be the case for Camden and London as a whole? Bringing regulated schemes into the city will bring the UK more into line with the rest of Europe and go some way to making young people feel they are a part of the city."
Camden Council are yet to indicate whether or not they will consider installing a legal flyposting system now that illegal flyposting has slumped since they began their legal assault on the major record labels.