In the article the author examines the influence of non-traditional advertising media, formed in the conditions of modern communicative space, on urban environment of big cities of Yekaterinburg (Russia) and Newcastle (Great Britain), which is reflected in the perception of citizens. The research focuses on the unconventional advertising communication Ambient media, little studied in Russia. Unobtrusively integrated into the urban space and using everyday objects as media: streets, escalators, trees, receipts, these advertisements are not limited to a marketing function and can influence citizens' perception of their environment. A series of e mpirical studies were conducted by the author: an online survey of Yekaterinburg residents, focus groups with citizens most actively interacting with the communicative space of the metropolis; in-depth interviews with Newcastle residents. The research reveals differences in the perception of urban space by British and Russian citizens: for the former, a new advertising object in a familiar environment is an occasion to communicate with each other, while for the latter, it serves as a sign of change in the surrounding space without a communicative component.