What is one of the hottest, most valuable pieces of marketing real estate in the Czech Republic these days? Large surfaces within Prague 7 that can be repurposed for visually stimulating murals. Is it a passing trend, or here to stay?
Tucked in between the meandering Vltava River and Stromovka, Prague’s largest park, sits the 7,1 square kilometer, appropriately numbered 7th district of Prague. Evolving from a district known for manufacturing and labor in the era of World War II and Communism, today its surfaces are highly sought-after chunks of marketing real estate. And, perhaps rather ironically, Prague 7 is also punctuated by the headquarters of some of the world’s most well-known marketing and advertising agencies as well as the trendy coffee shops and loft flats that provide workers with all the necessary creature comforts.
“Let the hunger games begin.”
—David Strauss, artist
Mural mania begins
In the past several years murals have been popping up with increasing frequency in Prague, particularly in the 7th district. They are large canvases for a locale to illustrate its story and to engage with its citizens by creating a new, unique experience. Murals increase the potential for attracting foot traffic to local businesses as well as tourism, and even to shine a spotlight on a shared community theme or concern. Perhaps, most surprisingly, they can even have a positive impact on the environment. So it is no wonder that murals, which can cost a few thousand to a few million Dollars to create, continue to become such a popular experiential marketing vehicle. As famed mural painter David Strauss said in a recent chat with Honza Borysek, our CEO: “Let the hunger games begin.”
Murals in marketing
From a marketing industry perspective, murals are highly-impactful, memorable and cost-effective. Murals don’t get swiped away in one’s Facebook or Instagram feed. Rather, they tend to generate a level of interest and media buzz that could not be similarly achieved through a simple pay-per-click (PPC) campaign. Their impact is lengthy and memorable as they tend to disappear only after a span of time because of natural elements or a repurposing of the surface which they adorn. And they tend to attract high-profile sponsors like @Nike.
Murals for our environment
Murals are typically divided into three categories, including: photography, scenery and abstract. Murals can be much more sophisticated and create new value in more ways than one might typically think, including for our environment. The We Share The Same Future mural created by David Strauss located on an about to be reconstructed building near the Maniny tram stop in Prague 7 makes use of Airlite paint technology. Airlite paints generate negative ions on the surface where they are applied so that when they touch the surface, the air is purified in a natural way.
Why Prague 7 vs. other Prague districts?
Prague is one of few European cities to have survived continuously since the Middle Ages. The entire central district is blanketed under a UNESCO World Heritage designation. And although Prague ranks amongst the world’s best cities for street art, rivaling Berlin, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, New York City, Paris and Philadelphia, it is still hamstrung to some extent by the UNESCO designation. Introducing larger works of art, like murals for example, is nearly impossible — that is if one is to comply with the regulations.
This has led to a gold rush of sorts in Prague 7 for artists, collaborators and their sponsors. Within Prague 7 there is the hope of discovering even larger canvases that are free of the bureaucracy and restrictions found elsewhere in the city. The receptivity to murals in Prague 7 is even reflected in its designation by the district as the official Art District of Prague. In a further sign of its support and enthusiasm, Prague 7 even has an Instagram account dedicated to highlighting culture and the arts.
The future of murals
So it’s only natural, as in any situation where demand exceeds supply, that these surfaces in Prague 7 have become some of the most valuable pieces of marketing real estate in the country today. Like in our previous article about cryptocurrencies and, with Bitcoin in particular, when the supply is limited and demand is high, the value will only continue to rise.
This article was originally commissioned and published by advertia digital, consistently recognized as one of the top creative agencies in Central Europe.