Using construction scaffolding for marketing?

Hey there, everyone! Hope you're all having a great day.

I was wondering if it's actually possible to set up some scaffolding—say, about 500 square feet—on a building without doing any actual construction, repairs, or renovations? My idea is to use it purely as a massive billboard for marketing purposes.

Also, does anyone know if I'd need to pull any specific permits from the city if I'm just using the structure for advertising instead of building work?

First off, regardless of what kind of work you're doing—or in your case, the lack thereof—you can't just throw up scaffolding whenever you feel like it.
It doesn't matter what your actual intentions are with the setup.

Scaffolding has to be erected strictly according to a blueprint. It requires monthly inspections, and you’re required to maintain a formal logbook for those checks.
If that scaffolding is going up in downtown Chicago, you have to secure a permit from the city first. If you don't, and code enforcement catches you, they'll slap you with a massive fine.

Aha... so it’s not quite that straightforward, then.
I was actually expecting there to be a specific blueprint for the scaffolding itself since it's such a massive setup, but I had no idea they required a separate permit just for the oversight and control side of things.

Does that mean the signage gets included in the same permit as the scaffolding, or does the advertisement need its own individual set of plans?

At the moment you're setting it up, what kind of scaffolding you use isn't even the main issue. Once it's actually up, you still have to meet every single OSHA requirement for the job—certified workers, fall protection protocols, all that.

I don't know what kind of signage you're planning to hang on there, but you better watch yourself. If you're going with electric signs, you need strict electrical safety compliance; if you're using panels, they better be heavy-duty and made from the right materials.

Something along these lines.
So, I'm thinking about stretching some mesh netting across an entire scaffolding setup, maybe positioned on private property right next to a house or a commercial building.
As for lighting, we could potentially just use some floodlights.

In that case, you aren't looking at scaffolding—that's just a billboard.
Being up on a scaffold might help you out, but it could also cause a massive headache with all the paperwork. Basically, if the sign is under 130 square feet, all you really need is an approved design (not a site permit or a building permit), but you'll still have to clear everything through the local zoning office.

Thanks so much!
I was actually looking into renting some scaffolding because it turns out to be way more budget-friendly than those massive pre-built mega-boards and similar setups.