This space for sale

I was struck by how prevalent advertising is in China. There isn't any space that can't be sold! It was not surprising to see advertising in taxi cabs, even if it is on every seat (even the front passenger side):



But street signs and traffic signals are not exempt either:


And there are these huge boats whose only purpose as far as I can tell are to move giant electronic billboards up and down the river:


To what extent are the Chinese desensitized vs. tuned in to advertising? How are their expectations and tolerance for advertising different from other cultures where public spaces are not sold as heavily? How does that translate to web design?