Sunset Strip Secrets: Seven Things You Didn’t Know About LA's Most Famous Stretch

January 30, 2025

When you ask someone what comes to mind when they hear “Los Angeles,” odds are they mention the iconic Sunset Boulevard. The 22-mile road, and particularly the famous 2.2-mile segment known as the Sunset Strip, is one of LA’s most well-known landmarks. But there’s much more to this road than meets the eye. Let’s hop in our convertible and cruise through seven fascinating Sunset Boulevard facts that might surprise even lifelong Angelenos.

This stretch of boulevard changes names multiple times.

Sunset Boulevard stretches from Downtown Los Angeles through Hollywood and Beverly Hills, and all the way to the Pacific Ocean in Malibu. As the street winds from downtown to the Pacific, it transforms from Cesar Chavez Avenue to Sunset to Pacific Coast Highway.

Sunset Boulevard was originally a cattle trail.

That’s right, Sunset Boulevard began as an 18th century cattle trail used by local ranchers traveling from El Pueblo de Los Angeles to the ocean. Today, instead of cattle, you'll find hundreds of cars and some of the most valuable advertising real estate in the world alongside world-famous landmarks like Whisky a Go Go, Chateau Marmont, and The Laugh Factory. Bonus fun fact: as story has it, the boulevard got its name in 1888, reportedly inspired by a local squinting into the setting sun while heading west (Source: LATimes & The Getty).

Paul McCartney’s head was once removed from a Sunset Strip billboard.

Photo Courtesy of The Daily Beatle
1969 saw one of the Sunset Strip's most memorable moments when a billboard hit the streets promoting The Beatles’ Abbey Road. The artistic billboard featured extensions along the top of the board, the heads of John, Paul, George, and Ringo jutting out into the sky. It was the perfect mix of iconic album art and the larger-than-life flair that outdoor advertising does best. But in the middle of the night, someone vandalized the billboard, scaling the structure and cutting Paul McCartney's head extension right off. The missing head transformed an already attention-grabbing advertisement into an accidental piece of pop culture history. Bonus fun fact: The person who stole Paul’s head has the extension hanging on his living room wall to this day. (Source: Theoohinsider & KCRW)

Keep a billboard here long enough, and it’ll become a landmark.

There are some media positions on the Strip that are so famous you don't even need to know the actual address. Take 9000 Sunset Boulevard, which is better known as the HBO Wall. For the past 15+ years, the wallscapes on both the west and east sides of the building have become instantly recognizable to Sunset traffic. Those huge 12-story billboards advertising HBO shows have become a regular staple when driving through Hollywood. We call these long-term advertiser presences “perms,” short for “permanent.” A similar landmark, a billboard advertising Marlboro cigarettes, stood for nearly two decades and became ingrained in the local landscape. Today, that coveted spot belongs to Apple, whose billboard is quickly becoming just as much a part of the Strip's visual identity as its predecessor. (Source: Los Angeles Times)

Being on the Sunset Strip makes billboards more engaging.

The latest research from The Harris Poll and OAAA reveals that iconic locations amplify out of home’s advertising impact. Simply put, when ads appear in well-known places, they resonate more deeply with audiences. Nearly two thirds of consumers (65%) are motivated to take action after seeing OOH in these memorable locations. Campaigns filling the Sunset Strip don't just reach people – they become part of the Los Angeles story (SOURCE: The Harris Poll/OAAA).

There’s a coffee table book about billboards on the Sunset Strip.

It’s called Rock 'n' Roll Billboards of the Sunset Strip, by Robert Landau, who photographed hundreds of billboards during rock and roll’s golden age. His book is dedicated to the artists who created the billboards, many of which were hand-painted at the time.

OUTFRONT dominates the Sunset Strip.

OUTFRONT not only has the most inventory out of any out of home provider on the Sunset Strip, we also offer the most diverse media coverage. We offer bulletins, wallscapes, digital posters, bus media, traditional and digital transit shelters, specialty digitals, and even parking garages. With over 31% of the available inventory along Sunset Boulevard, OUTFRONT helps advertisers reach entertainment industry decision-makers, executives, influencers, and trendsetters daily (SOURCE: Geopath).

The Sunset Strip turns brands into a central part of Los Angeles’ story. Ready to write your chapter? Let’s talk about it!

Author: Christine Petersen, Senior Marketing Specialist @ OUTFRONT

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