10 Things You Might Not Know About New York City

The Big Apple: most people have taken a bite. Even if they haven’t been there themselves, they’ve read about it, they’ve watched news about it, they’ve seen it in pop culture. From the TV show Friends to the how-did-the-Academy-not-nominate-you-for-an-Oscar Gremlins 2, New York is a heavy part of America.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things you don’t know. Here are ten not-so-common facts:

  • Central Park is Home to over 275 Species of Birds: This, at least, according to bird watchers. Bring your binoculars but leave your windshields at home.
  • New Yorkers Speak Around 800 Different Languages: Over a third of New Yorkers are foreign-born, making it a haven for diversity.
  • There are Over 1,600 Pizza Joints in the City: New York is well known for its pizza (no offense, Chi-Town). The first pizza joint opened back in 1905 (though some reports say late 1800s).
  • The Subway System is Looooonnnngggg: It would take you over a day to ride the entire thing.
  • The Statue of Liberty was “some assembly required”: When the Statue of Liberty arrived in the city in 1885, it came in 350 pieces. The arm, however, arrived early, back in 1876. It was used to help fund the project: “Go out on a ‘limb’ and donate, hmmm?”
  • May 1 was once Moving Day: Until the 1920’s, everyone moved apartments on the same day: May 1. Hopefully people reserved their U-Hauls in advance.
  • New York Taxis Were Once a Different Color: While taxis have become synonymous with the color yellow, they were originally red and green. Merry Christmas; Need a lift?
  • The City is Heavily Populated: Okay, so that’s not exactly a blow-your-mind-fact. But this might be: 1 out of every 38 people in the US lives in NYC.
  • A Subway Ride and a Slice of Pizza Usually Cost the Same: Economists refer to this as the “Pizza Principle.”
  • New York’s Federal Reserve has the Largest Storage of Gold in the World: It has around 90 billion dollars’ worth. Anyone got a key?

If you’re interested in marketing or branding in The Big Apple, we’ve got options. In NYC, Ad Focus offers large format, Digital Mobile Billboards as well as Taxi Advertising. www.TheAdFocus.com or send us a note at hello@theadfocus.com.

Picture Credit: Ad Focus, Inc.