Anyone that has travelled in and out of the Joburg CBD recently will have noticed the massive MTN adverts covering Old Park Station, one of Joburg's priceless heritage structures. Not only has this been done illegally but it has shown an acute disregard for Johannesburg's heritage. The Provincial Heritage Resources Authority Gauteng (PHRAG) has been alerted, the owners (Transnet) are investigating how this could have happened and the team that uses the site as an events venue has been contacted by various groups and urged to remedy the situation (it appears as thoughthe team has committed to remove all the branding).
Another angle showing the MTN adverts all over Old Park Station (The Heritage Portal)
MTN is currently enjoying the benefits of a massive billboard visible to tens of thousands of customers but I wonder if the marketing team and its agency gave any thought to the reputational risk involved. Old Park Station has national and even international significance so splattering ads all over it is a massive no-no. If the mainstream media gets hold of the story it could be incredibly embarrassing and damaging to the MTN brand. There are overseas examples where advertising on a heritage site has even led consumers to boycott a company's product.
The entrepreneurs running Old Park Station must take responsibility for their part in...
