Taking advertising to new heights

Keyport has a rather tall water tower, 115 feet tall in fact, not far from the busy intersection of Routes 35 and 36. To one borough councilman, it is a highly visible gateway to the borough and the entire Monmouth County Bayshore.

But the tower needs a fresh look, with its pale-blue paint fading after more than a quarter century. The repainting will cost $600,000. Borough officials hope to offset the cost by getting advertisers to lease or buy space on the tower, which it would likely share with "Keyport'' in big letters. Now that's creative thinking.

It's one thing to buy naming rights to a sports arena in East Rutherford or an arts center in Holmdel. Every time an event at either venue is publicized, the corporate name is heard. Pass by and the brand name is there for all to see. But on a water tower? Even overlooking a busy intersection, will the advertiser get much of a return on his investment? Time will tell if there's an advertiser out there looking for an unusual way to make an impression.