A viral video showing a floating billboard in Florida has sparked an online debate over whether advertisements have a place on the water.
In the video, shared by TikTok user @dylan.dinh on Thursday and already watched 1.5 million times, an LED billboard is seen on a craft close to a beach in Miami. It displays ads for fast-fashion giant Pretty Little Thing and alcohol brand White Claw.
The clip, which can be seen here, has audio of screaming and an on-screen caption that reads: "Bruh we getting ads at the beach."
Floating billboards are not completely new—they have been seen in the U.S. for about five years. Catamarans with LED screens sail along seas and rivers, and display a mix of advertisements and messages, including reminders to wear sunscreen and keep the beaches clean.
Ballyhoo Media is one of the companies that specializes in "water-based media." It was set up in Miami in 2016 and expanded to New York in 2018.
Ballyhoo describes itself as providing "an interactive canvas to the landscapes of major waterfront cities. By combining industry leading dwell times with the ability to play full motion interactive content, we offer an unparalleled ability to engage with audiences."
It is unclear who owns the boat in the TikTok video, but Ballyhoo does not list Pretty Little Thing or White Claw among its clients on its website.
Floating billboards in locations such as New York City and Daytona Beach have been criticized by some residents for spoiling the waterside setting or acting as a distraction. Others have welcomed the ability to convey important messages on the billboards.
Andrew Cuomo—who resigned as governor of New York on Tuesday—signed a bill in August 2019 banning any boat operating "a billboard that uses flashing, intermittent or moving lights" from the state.
The Florida billboard in the TikTok video has also divided opinion.
"That's genuinely sad actually," wrote one commenter.
"The beach is supposed to be an escape," added another.
"One of the only places that was left to enjoy the natural life and not technology," posted a third TikToker.
Other commenters argued that the boats were no different than signs that are flown above beaches on planes. "Did the beaches y'all go to not have those planes with banner ads?" asked one TikTok user.
"These people are acting like they've never been to Florida," added another.
Newsweek has contacted Pretty Little Thing, White Claw and Ballyhoo Media for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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