A duplex on Atateken street in Montreal stands out from the pack with its dramatic colour combinations of highlighter green, rosé pink and mustard yellow.
The bright colours painted on the century-old home are from an adverting campaign that is turning heads — and earning the condemnation of city officials.
The home, now looking like a lifesize doll house, is getting a lot of attention and that is the point. The property has been temporarily transformed into a billboard for Koodo mobile, a subsidiary of telecommunications firm Telus.
As seen in other cities like Toronto, the flamboyant publicity stunt aims to promote residential WiFi. A small sign outside in a newly planted garden reads, “There’s joy under this roof. Koodo internet.”
While prompting smiles by passersby, the project is not getting any love from city officials, who have denounced the commercial act.
The owners of the residence risk receiving fines, according to the city.
“A notice of violation will be given to the owner who will also be asked to comply as quickly as possible,” says Montreal spokesperson Beatrice Saulnier-Yelle.
City officials claim the marketing company behind the ad, Camp Jefferson, did not have approval to paint over the century old home.
“The protection and maintenance of our buildings is essential. This is why several regulations are in place which prohibit painting brick on the exterior facade of the majority of buildings,” Saulnier-Yelle says.
In addition, the city says advertising such as this is not permitted in unsanctioned areas of the city.
In response, the marketing company says it did its due diligence before committing to the project.
“We temporarily transformed a Montreal house into a colourful billboard,” says Isabelle Bonin, vice-president of communications and marketing for Plus Company. “Before launching this activation, we asked for and followed the guidance and instructions provided to us by a representative of the City of Montreal.”
The dramatic colour scheme is not permanent.
The company behind the project says it will return the home to its original colour and appearance once the ad campaign ends on July 8.