The Bat Signal on the Woolworth Building

The Bat Signal on the Woolworth Building, originally uploaded by Olga Bas Photography.

Should have worked even later last night--would have seen this on the Woolworth Building, which is across from my office. Ah well. Accounts of the cross-marketing event can be found here and here, which apparently also included flashing the bat-signal onto the main campus of Pace University, where I teach.

The commodification of city space is an increasingly important question. I'd be interested in learning what approvals the PR firm behind this obtained in order to run the event.

To see the importance of considering the interests of various local communities, one need only look at the negative reaction to the decision to move all the Macy's fireworks downtown to accommodate NBC, thereby cutting out the Queens and midtown viewers who gathered to watch from their traditional viewing locations. Should residents of New York and its surrounding environs have a say in how the skyline becomes a promotional tool?