VietNamNet Bridge – The local media and public was stirred up for the last few days by a street where all shops have to hang similar signboards in red and blue colors.

Le Trong Tan Street in Thanh Xuan District is the first road in Hanoi where all advertising boards and signboards of shops along the road have the same design, same colors and same sizes under the standards set by the local authorities.

Specifically, the advertising billboards and signboards are hung 3.2 m - 3.3 m from the ground. The height of these signboards is 1.1 m and they are painted in two colors only – red or blue.

At first, this idea was praised as the street looks organized but after a few days, shop owners and buyers began complaining that the similar advertising boards and signboards made it difficult for customers to recognize the brands they want.

The manager of a restaurant on Le Trong Tan said that his restaurant had fewer customers. He believed that the circumstance was caused by the new signboards.

As the signboards look similar, customers could not find the restaurant. "Previously, my billboard is in red, square shape and hung vertically to the wall. On the signboard was the name of the restaurant and illustration of food so customers could identify the restaurant easily," he said.

"Now they have to try to read advertising boards and signboards to find their shops. If they drive through the restaurant, they are afraid to return".

The use of uniformed billboards, he said, does not show the characteristics of goods and services of each shop and also kills the creativity of businesses and the brands that they have built for years.

The owner of a wedding service shop named Duy Phong said he did not hang the new advertising signboard yet because the content is unspecific. "My shop specializes in wedding services but the content of the advertising board I received from the local authorities is simply "Duy Phong Store. With that signboard, customers don’t know what my store sells or supplies,” Phong said.

Meanwhile, a number of other shop owners said that there was nothing the matter with the new billboards.

Brand management experts said that the initiative of uniforming advertising boards of shops on Le Trong Tan Road affects the recognition of brands.

Some countries only set standards on the size and the border line of signboards and letbusinesses to show their creativityin the content.

They said brand recognition was extremely important for the development of businesses.

Le Mai Trang, Deputy Chair of Thanh Xuan District told the media that the use of the new advertising signboards was approved by local people.

She said the local authorities would consider and listen to local businesses and make suitable changes.

Le Trong Tan Road in pictures:

Photo: Zing/Dan Tri

Compiled by Linh Nhat