Seen the new Blank Canvases ads by Amex? The idea is a little reused and cliched in my opinion, especially for a bank. But still, I have to give props for the execution. My favourite scene? 0:07 with the slices of bread. Clever!
So I finally managed to catch this much hyped-about film at ACMI a few days ago. I was cautious at first, when I heard that Banksy had a documentary coming about about street art. So many documentaries have been made about street art and the ‘alternative’ culture in general and it was difficult for me to see how one might actually succeed in coming up with a different angle. But I guess if anyone can do it, Banksy can.
I also love how the film was pretty unorthodox as a documentary. It was about street art, but then again, it wasn’t. It was about Banksy, but then again, it wasn’t. The frenchman Thierry Guetta was certainly a fine example of an eccentric subject that most definitely brought life to the film. Banksy told his story about street art through him, and in a way, Guetta
I don’t follow Banksy’s work or street art in general too closely, though I am reasonably familiar with his work and some of the artists that were featured in the film like Shepard Fairey and Invader. It was definitely refreshing to have that little glimpse into his studio and his thought process. I guess the short-term nature of street art in general makes it a little difficult for me to believe that there are solid concepts and ideas behind it, and the pieces aren’t just randomly sprayed or pasted on without a second thought. The film certainly changed that for me.
In short: entertaining film with some really interesting concepts and theories about popular culture and modern art. Definitely a must-catch! Now, to wait for the DVD release…
“Adult life carries many restrictions so we want to remind people that McDonald’s is still a place were you can have fun, be yourself and not be judged. A place where you feel like a kid again,” said Helen Farquhar, Director of Marketing, McDonald’s (ANZ). “This adult-sized Playland allows us to forget about the deadlines, budgets and stresses of life and just revel in this incredible childhood arcadia. And the best part is the McDonald’s characters we loved as kids are back old school style giving us the opportunity to reclaim our childhood, to look at the world through younger eyes again and just lose ourselves – if only for a minute.”
DDB Sydney did an amazing job of helping adults remember how much fun and joy McDonald’s could bring. We’ve gone through years and years seeing McDonald’s advertising and marketing to children with built-in-store playgrounds and Happy Meals. I find it extremely refreshing that DDB and McDonald’s chose to target a market that has been neglected by many fast food companies. Not that McDonald’s needs more proof, but this effort certainly reminds us that McDonald’s isn’t just a place for you to buy fast food; McDonald’s is a lifestyle.
via adland
I have a love-hate relationship with everything that makes me go “Geez, why did I think of that?!”
Belgian brewer Stella Artois has recently embarked on a project to revive the age-old art of hand painted advertising. Conceptualised by Mother New York, the project consists of a visual diary of painters’ work as they do up a big billboard-sized piece for Stella Artois.
From the official website:
“Shot high above the streets of New York City, Up There reveals the dying craft of large-scale hand painted advertising and the untold story of the painters struggling to keep it alive.
Calturing a trade that is equal parts artistic precision and grueling labor, the fil presents a painting tradition pre-dating modern advertising. A craft that today finds itself dangling precariously on the brink of extinction.
Up There is directed by Malcolm Murray, based on an original concept by Mother. It is produced by Mekanism with music by The Album Leaf.”