San Francisco’s roadside advertising has shifted from familiar consumer brands to deliberately cryptic messages aimed at a tech-savvy crowd. Phrases like “Agents don’t work without evals,” “Too much B2B SAAS,” and “Intelligent AF” have popped up on billboards, bus shelters and kiosks — not to inform the general public, but to resonate as in-jokes for engineers and product leaders.
Louise Mozingo, who directs UC Berkeley’s urban design program, says the ads are intentionally opaque: they aren’t trying to reach the average passerby. The tactic comes as demand for outdoor ad space is rising — Outfront Media reports that billboard rental revenue in San Francisco grew roughly 30% between 2023 and 2025, and top locations often have long waiting lists.
For startups like AI infrastructure firm Baseten, the approach is an “if-you-know-you-know” play. Baseten and others run short, jargon-filled lines such as “Own your models,” “Own Your SLAs,” and “Own Your Nines” to signal relevance and familiarity to people who already understand the language. Mike Bilodeau, Baseten’s head of marketing, describes the goal as speaking directly to decision-makers who will immediately get the reference.
Outfront Media’s west region senior marketing director Christine Rose contrasts this with traditional campaigns, which explain a product to a broad audience. PR consultant Michelle Garrett adds that the physical visibility of a billboard also lends credibility: a startup that buys a prominent, low-tech sign can appear larger and more established. The mystery itself helps too — cryptic lines generate social sharing and speculation that extend the ad’s reach.
But the exclusivity can have a cost. Marketing professor Karen Anne Wallach warns that insider messaging creates an obvious “in group” and “out group.” While it can strengthen ties with the intended audience in the short term, it risks leaving others with negative impressions that stick long term. Some locals say the trend reinforces the sense that tech has taken over the city; callers to KQED’s Forum described the billboards as evidence of tech’s outsized influence.
Tech companies concede they may alienate many people, but argue the benefits — deeper resonance with a valuable, informed audience and the legitimacy of high-visibility placements — justify the strategy. The trend marks a broader shift in how language, place and identity intersect: public space is increasingly used to target specialized professional communities, reshaping how both companies and the cities they inhabit are seen.
Edited by Jennifer Vanasco.