In addition to selecting colors that will grab attention, depictions of the candidates on the banners are managed by stylists. A lot of detailed thought goes into every aspect of the banners, in the hope they will outdo those of other candidates. The huge number of the colorful banners literally all over the city is affecting sightlines for drivers and the safety of pedestrians.
Three individuals have registered to run for the position of Keelung City mayor in 2009. As of Nov. 22, the unaffiliated Li Bu-hui had not yet established a campaign headquarters nor had he hung any banners or distributed any flags. The Democratic Progressive Party's Lin You-chang has produced banners with a green background, while the Kuomintang's Chang Tong-rong is flying blue-and-white banners, two color schemes highly representative of the political parties they belong to.
Given the larger number of candidates for city council spots, all sorts of innovative flags and banners have been employed to bring attention to their campaigns and single the candidates out from others in the hope of winning the support of city residents. Nearly all of the candidates are making every effort to outdo each other, particularly in the size of their banners.
Another important branch of knowledge is how and where the banners are positioned, as well as how they are arranged. Generally speaking, the point of this exercise is to make sure that the public is able to easily spot the banners. Candidates take to sticking their banners all along the most traveled areas of the city, and on bridges, bus stations, entry and exit ramps, and at bus stations.
Some of the most popular spots are three-way intersections. Those candidates who act the fastest end up with the advantage. Slower candidates have to give extra thought as to how to make their banners stick out.
This year's efforts to win the banner battle seem particularly heated. However, the windy conditions that have prevailed in the city in recent days have caused some of the banners to be blown away from their original positions. This is especially the case for long rectangular banners or billboards that use bamboo poles. As a result, things may look somewhat disorganized and messy along sidewalks and roadways. Some of the banners alongside bridges have also been blown in all directions, impacting the sightlines of drivers. Ultimately, all the banners will have to be cleared away.
(This article originally appeared in the “Liberty Times” Nov. 23, 2009.)