Whale mural covered by advertisement again, this time for Cure Auto Insurance

Amelia Benavides-Colón, Detroit Free Press
Updated ·2 min read
Comerica Park fans will now stare at a sign for Cure Auto Insurance as the advertisement appeared over the famous whale mural aside Broderick Tower this weekend.
Comerica Park fans will now stare at a sign for Cure Auto Insurance as the advertisement appeared over the famous whale mural aside Broderick Tower this weekend.

Broderick Tower's whale mural has been covered once again, and just in time for the upcoming NFL draft with advertising for Cure Auto Insurance.

The "Whale Tower" mural, painted by Detroiter Robert Wyland in 1997, features three humpback whales frolicking in the ocean. Since 2006, the whales have been covered by temporary advertisements for everything from Lunchables to a collection of signature smiley faces, accompanied by the words “Detroit is Home.” None of which received the same favorable attention as Wyland's whales.

The mural had remained untouched since a storm destroyed the Rocket Companies ad that featured local artist Phillip Simpson’s signature smiley faces, accompanied by the words “Detroit is Home, in August 2023. The faces had been covering the whale mural since November 2021.

Robert Wyland's Whale Tower mural on the Broderick Building in Detroit is shown to be covered up by advertising on April 12, 2022
Robert Wyland's Whale Tower mural on the Broderick Building in Detroit is shown to be covered up by advertising on April 12, 2022

Detroit Tigers reporter Jason Beck was one of the first to report the new advertisement to social media.

It took about three hours for the fresh advertisement to reveal itself as one for Cure Auto Insurance, presented by the Detroit Lions.

More: Detroit's whale mural returns to Broderick Tower after storm damages ad that covered it

An advertisement for Lunchables covers the 1997 Robert Wyland whale on the side of the Broderick Tower in downtown Detroit on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023.
An advertisement for Lunchables covers the 1997 Robert Wyland whale on the side of the Broderick Tower in downtown Detroit on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023.

Flashback: Whale mural on Detroit’s Broderick Tower covered once again. This time by Lunchables ad.

In a statement from Wyland through his foundation in 2023, he explained the origin of the mural was to emphasize the world's rapidly worsening climate change and declining biodiversity.

"Maybe the advertisers will finally consider letting the mural serve the purpose Wyland intended: to remind people that no matter where we live, we are always intrinsically connected to nature," read the statement.

In 2022, Wyland and the city of Detroit attempted to take the issue to the Michigan Supreme Court, but the high court declined to review a previous ruling that the mural could be covered with advertising.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Broderick Tower's whale mural covered again, this time for insurance ad