In 2006, the mayor of São Paulo passed a law that banned all outdoor advertisements, including billboards, transit ads, and store signs. Within a year, 15,000 billboards were taken down and store signs were made smaller to comply with the new legislation. Outdoor video screens and ads on buses were also removed. Despite concerns about revenue loss and job cuts, São Paulo’s economy did not suffer, and a survey showed that 70% of the city’s residents found the ban beneficial. The removal of ads revealed hidden urban beauty and gave the city a new identity. Similar ad bans exist in other parts of the world, including the US and Europe.
https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/07/sao-paulo-city-with-no-outdoor.html