Paragrafmi proti smogu: Právnici BDO sa spolu s renomovaným štúdiom Büro Milk pustili do boja s trna

Paragraphs against advertising smog

At the end of 2022, the city of Trnava, together with Büro Milk and our legal experts from BDO, set out on a journey to eliminate advertising smog. The project aimed at the elimination of illegal and grey advertising is at the same time a response to the long-standing call of the city's residents for their removal. The ambition of the study and of us at BDO is to take this important step in the protection of conservation zones in other Slovak cities.

BDO legal support: from analysis to implementation of new rules

In order to eliminate the advertising smog that reduces the visual value of the historical monuments of the city, the city of Trnava proceeded to set specific rules for the regulation of advertising in public space. In the project, which was officially launched at the end of 2022, BDO, as a legal subcontractor, plays a key role in the legislative analysis of illegal, grey advertising and the development of a proposal of steps to eliminate them. In addition, BDO, together with Büro Milk, has assumed the role of coordinator in the interviews of the involved entities, such as the Monuments Office, the Transport Authority, the City, etc.

The aim of our legal experts was to review the existing legislation, identify areas where problems arise and propose concrete legal steps to regulate visual smog.

"In the first phase of the project, we looked at existing advertisements and their compliance with legislative requirements. In other words, it was necessary to map out which advertisements exploit ambiguities or loopholes in the legislation and then put it right. The result was a comprehensive analysis that confirmed the need for fundamental changes," adds Marek Priesol, legal expert and partner at BDO.

The next necessary step was the proposal of a concrete and quick solution for the removal of illegal advertising from the historic monument zone, which will also cover recommendations for the aesthetic redesign of existing advertisements:

"Our goal is to create a uniform and aesthetic style of advertising that will not disturb the appearance of the monuments, but at the same time provide advertisers with the opportunity to effectively communicate their products and services," says Martin Jenča, co-owner of the Büro Milk studio, which is the primary contractor for the project.

Interactive manual: Where the legal framework meets design

The successful collaboration between Büro Milk and BDO has resulted in the creation of an interactive manual that serves as a guide for future decision-making on ad placement. This manual is not only a practical tool for regulating advertising, but also a guide on how to adapt to current legal requirements.

"The legal part of the manual is designed to be flexible and responsive to potential legislative changes, allowing us to create an urban space that is legally seamless, but also aesthetically pleasing," adds Priesol.

Inspiration for other cities

We are very pleased that the cooperation with Büro Milk and the City of Trnava has given us the opportunity to create the legal prerequisites that will enable the long-term and sustainable development of the city's public spaces. Together with Büro Milk, we believe that the project in Trnava is just the beginning and that similar projects will be implemented in other Slovak cities.

"We hope that the successful implementation in Trnava will inspire other cities to adopt a similar approach," adds Kristína Šebejová from Büro Milk.

We would like to thank the BDO legal experts involved for their efforts and the passion they have put into this exceptional project over the years:

Marek Priesol, Legal Partner
Tomáš Szabo, Senior Associate
Patrik Balázs, Associate