HBO takes down billboard covering Kobe Bryant tribute mural
The network quickly responded to complaints that an ad was covering up artwork paying homage to the late NBA superstar.
When a new HBO billboard popped up in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles recently it caused quite the stir because it covered a Kobe Bryant tribute mural. Fortunately, the network moved quickly to take it down and avoided major backlash.
READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant explains why she blocks Kobe and Gianna fan pages
Patrick Muldowney of The Ringer was the first to post the offending billboard on social media.
Where there used to be a Kobe mural, there’s now an HBO billboard.
It doesn’t even fully cover the Kobe painting. https://t.co/vOj0AW8lr5 pic.twitter.com/vhpaUYzYqx
— patrick (@muldowney) June 16, 2020
According to TheWrap, they reached out to WarnerMedia about the questionable placement and the company got the vendor responsible to take it down in a hurry.
READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant shares timely photo of Kobe Bryant in ‘I Can’t Breathe’ shirt
TheWrap also contacted Great Outdoor, which owns the space and commissioned the mural by Gustavo Zermeño Jr.
“We actually commissioned the artist to paint this mural up there because we had a couple open months on it. This idea was all approved by the artist and we preserved the mural so in between ad campaigns the mural will be back. The artist told us that he will reach out to anyone that says anything to let them know that he approved this idea and he was trying to find a creative way to support Kobe’s foundation. This mural is owned by us and we are protecting it,” they said in a statement.
Vanessa Bryant has been photographed in front of one of the murals in Los Angeles that have been painted in tribute to her late husband and daughter, but she’s had to block fan pages on social media that are dedicated to them.
(Photo: Vanessa Bryant Instagram)
She explained why recently.
“Thx so much for all the love…@nataliabryant and I have unfortunately had to block fan pages because it’s been really hard to go online and constantly see pics of our beloved Gigi and Kobe under every single square of our explore pages,” she posted on her Instagram page.
“Blocking the fan pages has helped change the algorithm…We love you all but please understand that we had to do this for our own healing not because we don’t appreciate your love.”
Bryant’s page has also now been set to private.
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