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Getting the Message Out in Cuba without Official Advertising
Pssst!
Hey Pal, Need a Place to Stay?
HAVANA - In the U.S., we are continuously bombarded with commercials on television and radio. Ads pop up at us as we cruise the Internet, and billboards clutter our highways and city streets. Despite the decline in newspaper advertising, dailies and weeklies still manage to deliver quite a few ads telling us about everything from the latest movie or where to get new car tires at a reduced price.
So imagine a world where there is no advertising. No interruptions of your programs, no billboards on the roads and no ads cluttering up your newspaper. Welcome to Cuba.
As much as Americans complain about advertising, it offers several benefits including identifying products and place of sale. The bottom line is Americans have choice, and advertising helps to faciiltate that choice.
By Patricia Wheeler‏