Famous Advertising Signs and Neon Landmarks

Some advertising outlives its campaign. These are the brand signs and illuminated displays that turned into landmarks: the ones locals give directions by, photograph on every visit and fight to save when an owner threatens to switch them off. The test for a place here is simple. The sign has to be famous in its own right, not just bright, and each photo shows the sign itself. Expect neon, steel letters and a few modern LED screens, from Boston and Brooklyn to Osaka, Sydney, Montreal and the Las Vegas Boneyard, where retired signs go to be admired. Times Square appears once, as a whole. The Hollywood sign is left out: it began as a real estate ad, but today it belongs with places rather than brands.