Impact of Advertisements on Public Spaces and Environmental Aesthetics: Insights from Indonesia

Abstract

As a medium for promoting goods and services, Outdoor Advertising (translated as Iklan Luar Ruang / ILR) or Billboards, raises complex issues related to urban planningin many cities. Yogyakarta is no exception. Through advertising media in public spaces, a person is forced to see and read the billboards and is even expected to follow the message of the communication. However, billboards with various sizes, shapes, constructions, materials, and placements have disturbed the environment and the beauty of the city itself. The beauty, safety, and comfort that have always been the hopes of the residents are difficult to materialize if the advertising problem is not resolved immediately.This research examines the billboards in yogyakarta. The important variable of this research is billboard design. It uses a qualitative-descriptive method through an environmental aesthetic approach. Billboards are appreciated through aesthetics, as related to the urban environment, including the social environment, society, buildings, and the natural surroundings.The findings show that the awareness and compliance of advertisers outside public spaces with local city government regulations is still low. Many installations of billboards in Yogyakarta violate laws, ethics, and environmental aesthetics. This has an impact on the visual quality of the city resulting from the chaos between one advertisement and another. There is no regularity and harmony between the advertisements.