These laws also forbid huge facades / signage containing brand advertising, so logos are smaller and store fronts less attention-grabbing. I think that's what he was talking about.

This store, for instance, was fined R$300.000,00 for it's signage a couple months ago: http://img.vejasp.abril.com.br/t/2/t420x280/ponto-frio-megas... (the penguin is their trademark)