May 30, 2007
A Grate Idea?
There is good advertising and there is bad advertising. There is even good guerilla advertising—depending on who you ask. Take, for instance, Boston's "Mooninites" promoting the Aqua Teen Hunger Force film, which polarized (and paralyzed) the city; last week's Fashion Targets Breast Cancer Tees, which polarized Torontoist commenters; or, now, GJP Advertising's party streamer installation on Queen Street, just outside of Nathan Phillips Square.
Earlier this month, as a promotion for the party store It's My Party, GJP attached the ends of colourful streamers to the subway parking garage exhaust vent's grate. The streamers dangled down, into the vent deep below street level, unseen, until a gust of wind from the passing subway the fans starting up blew the streamers up and out to dazzling effect. The installation ran for only two days, May 8 and 9, before GJP voluntarily took it down.
Torontoist contacted GJP and they conceded that "No “permission” [their quotation marks, not ours] was sought," which makes us kind of sad; skirting the city's advertising laws is never a good idea, and it can drum up more bad press than good. Unlike the recent illegal Audi installations, however, the GJP installation is actually worth defending: the ad is creative, fun, and attractive, more like a Nuit Blanche piece than a promotion—and infinitely less atrocious than the advertising inside and around the Eaton Centre just up the street.
UPDATE (May 30, 1:30 p.m.): GJP just sent us another e-mail to clarify that they did, in fact, receive permission; their statement that they didn't was a "misunderstanding." Says Karin Campbell, their Director of Public Relations: "GJP installed the piece with permission that was obtained via the photographer with Nathan Philips Square." Now we can enjoy it entirely guilt-free. Score!
Thanks to Rajan Patel for the tip. All photos by Roswell Anderson, courtesy of GJP.
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I don't think that is a subway exhaust grate. I think it is where the hot air comes out of city hall (no pun intended).
If only Audi had thought of this, we'd all think they were playful and fun instead of, well, criminals, and downgrade our righteous anger to "sadness." Pay attention, Audi!
Remove the streamers with commercial writing on them and I'd say it should be a permanent installation on select grates. I'm not normally one for whimsy, but seeing those flare up as you walk by would be keen.
Sure beats the hell out of those tall "waving arms balloon thingys" at car dealerships.
Like it or not, we're gonna have to live with advertising. At least this is fun and creative.
But it's all fun and games until someone gets an eye poked out by one of those streamers: - )
I'm still a little skeezed by advertisers doing this kinda thing without permission, but without the commercial ties, this would be art! Perhaps it still is? I would have loved to see it in action.
So fun!
Interesting how much attention is given as of late to tracking/discussing various street-level promotions and installation advertising. Much like celeb gossip, it seems to be one of those things people hate to admit they love--but it's good news because it always gets the most discussion going.
I was just reading a story abut guerilla marketing
(marketing for monkeys 101:-).
1) I hate that term.
2) As we find ways to avoid advertising, they will devise ways to slip it, unsuspectingly, into our lives. which almost makes regular advertising look good. If you know something is an ad, that's one thing, but now they're doing things that don't look like ads, but are.
So, upon first seeing this, it looks cool, then you get closer and you feel duped, "Aww, a stinkin' ad!" ...Ruined.
We have guerilla marketing here in the US, we call it, politics.
if it doesn't sell, it doesn't exist.
Ben, I was told it was a "subway exhaust vent" (their exact words) by GJP's Director of Public Relations. They might be wrong, though. Does anyone have wicked/nerdy knowledge of the city's underground air distribution schematics?
There are no subways on that part of queen. So "subway exhaust vent" is a misunderstanding. It's a vent for the parking garage underneath city hall. The blast of air occur when the exhaust fans start up.
And i agree this is much nicer than those "wacky waving inflatable arm-flailing tubemen".
Thanks xofer and Ben. I'll fix now. It would've been way cooler if it was a subway vent, though.
So, there was one more miscommunication: GJP got back in touch with me just now to tell me that they did, in fact, receive the city's permission, though it was through a third party. I've added an update to the article to reflect that.
so really any advertisement you hate, legal or not, but any graffiti you condone, particularly when it is illegal.
double standards are so in these days.
This is amazing, and still would be without permission.
Also, It's My Party has been very good to us in the past: where do you think our subway party decorations come from? :)
But how does one even tell it's for It's My Party from a distance? It seems like you need to closely examine the streamers.
Love it! so who in GJP created this ad? I want to see what else he/she has done. :)
Kevin, you had to get up close to see it -- it was on at least one of the main streamers, maybe more. I think the subtlety makes the whole thing better, actually.
Vincent, the credits are as follows:
Advertising Agency: GJP Advertising
Creative Directors: Lisa Greenberg, Trevor Schoenfeld
Art Director: Irene Pau
Copywriter: Kristofer Richardson
Photographer: Roswell Anderson
Released: May 2007
Sigh. matty, it's not a double standard. It's a consistent standard you disagree with. I disagree with it too, but with (I hope) a consistent standard of my own. I don't give a damn about legal/illegal or advertising/graffiti... I'm all about attractive/ugly. (And, after finding out about how sleazy Audi was, lying-to-the-city/not-lying-to-the-city.)
And, oh my yes, this is just awesome. I didn't even get to see it in person and it makes me smile.
Sad, really sad. Advertising is the new art for Toronto, by the way this idea has been stolen from the street artist HUG from Barcelona, he or she has been doing this for a few years now in Europe, but you AD WANKS at GJP advertising, steal the street art idea and call it your own and use it for advertising.
Advertising destroys art!!!
YOU HAVE STOLEN AN IDEA AND HAVE CLAIMED CREDIT FOR IT!
SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!!!
Advertising Agency: GJP Advertising
Creative Directors: Lisa Greenberg, Trevor Schoenfeld
Art Director: Irene Pau
Copywriter: Kristofer Richardson
This is a comment to xoxo.
A) I created this ad.
B) Who the f is hug?
C) I've never seen his/her work, nor have I been to Spain.
D) Before you open you stupid mouth, ask around. I would have been happy to tell you that this idea came as I was walking to the gym.
E) It's opinionated idiots like you that ruin blogs. Go read a book and smile. Life's too short to be so bitter. Enjoy it for what it was. A good idea.
Christ, people like you annoy me. Always complaining.
That's all. :)
Kris
Hug is the guy or girl street artist that you stole this idea from.
Kris as a theif, you have no right to be so self rightous, so quiet down and try to come up with something original.
Oh and by the way AD WANK, my name is spelt xoro, not xoxo.
Hugs and kisses Xoro
How exactly did Kris "steal" this idea if they've never heard of this guy and have never been to Spain? Are they telepathic? Are they clairvoyant? Or are you just accusing them of lying?
Ideas are cheap. Ideas occur to different people all the time, even complete strangers on two different continents separated by a vast ocean. As strange as it may seem, when six billion imaginations are at work, sometimes two of them will cross paths.
Xoro, do you have a link or anything else that can show everyone what you're talking about (i.e. photos of HUG's work)? If HUG's been doing this for a few years, surely there's some kind of documentation of it...
Better yet Dave, Anticorium and Kris, I have just been in touch with alien art corps and they know Hug personally.
Do not worry GJP advertising, I am sure HUG's lawyer will be in touch soon enough and then you all can have a pleasant chat on what to do about all this theiving of yours.
Cheers xoro
Legal thuggery: it's not just for movie studios anymore!
And xoro, you didn't actually answer my question: do you think Kris is a thief who managed to steal something from a person they've never heard of on a different continent because they're telepathic, or because they're clairvoyant, or because you just think they're lying?
I mean, if we're going to choke off the entire creative process until we can have our lawyers finish their exhaustive worldwide copyright and trademark searches and sign off on our permission to make a work of art, we should at least know why.
To be honest, I couldn't give a F what your name is.
You come on here accusing me of stealing an idea, then threaten to have a "ghost" artist on the other side of the world sue us? Give your head a shake man. Christ you're a sad piece of work.
Let me ask you something. Let's say your tiny brain comes up with the notion of getting a pizza. Then when you enter the pizza shop and see people inside, do you accuse them of stealing your idea? Jackass.
Grow up. Live life. Get out of your parents basement and go make friends.
Tell you what. Come meet me in person and we can talk. I promise you'll like me. I'm very nice.
Thanks to everyone else on here for your support. I promise you all this idea was not stolen for Hug- whoever they are. I'm sure they are very talented. Especially if they have an idea similar to this one! :)
Kris
xoro, shut up and stop stealing your name from me.
Z
Welcome all you ad wanks to DE-ADVERTISING; an art project that uses advertising techniques against advertising agencies.
Hugs and kisses xoro
Wow! That totally answers my question about how Kris "stole" something from an artist they've never met or heard of who lives half a world away!
Seriously, xoro, we get it. You're a badass. Bill Hicks would totally give you the thumbs-up, RTMark only wish they were you, and Negativland just shot themselves because they'll never be able to match your awesomeness.
Actually, you know, I just need to make sure: are you just trolling for the sake of being a troll, xoro, or do you honestly think that the answer to this problem you think exists is to lawyer up and shut Kris's company down? Because that'd be an incredibly scary thing to happen to art (commercial and non-commerical alike), and the chilling effects that would result from it becoming common practice would definitely destroy pretty much everything you love in life.
There is no need for lawyers, a wall will do.
Cheers xoro
So far I don't see any links to hug's work, and someone will have to explain to me what case a lawyer could possible bring against GJP -- has hug trademarked or patented the grate-streamers thing? Does hug own said trademark/patent internationally, or at least in Canada? Does hug profit from this work, and could a lawyer show that GJP's actions have deprived him/her/them of work?
Seriously xoro, start putting up or shutting up.
Rek are you dumb or just dumb?
OK I will spell it out for you again, welcome to DE-ADVERTISING, an art project that uses advertising techniques against advetising agencies.
xoro hanging out in Toronto, ontario, U.S.A.
I see; you've elected to do neither.
Oh, and putting activist messages of any sort in ad-like formats and in contexts where one expects ads is an old idea -- you aren't stealing it, are you? I'd hate for you to get sued by Adbusters (for just one example).
Thank you Rek, you just confirmed my comment directed towards you. "You are dumb."
Where have I ever, ever, ever said I was going to make fake ads?
Cheers xoro
p.s. do not bother to respond, I am going to ignore this post for now on. You bore me, ADWANK.
Xoro, I don't know if you're actually going to ignore this post or not, but until you actually post evidence of GJP's "theft" of HUG's work, no-one is going to take your accusations seriously -- and I'm going to moderate any further comments from you, since as of yet they amount to little more than libel.
My interpretation is that there is no "HUG"; "he or she" is an invention of xoro's muddled "de-advertising" experiment, by which he attempted to attack an advertising agency in perhaps the most confusing manner imaginable, that is, by fabricating grounds on which to go after them when there are likely legitimate reasons to do so.
I love being called "dumb" for not being able to read someone's mind. De-advertising, if it's not making fake ads of some sort, is what? Accusing advertisers of stealing ideas from artists? That ship sailed a century or two ago, you missed it. And somehow that's an "advertising technique".
No URL or comprehensible thesis statement seems to be forthcoming either. (Perhaps they are queued behind the evidence that "hug" exists.)
P.S. Being called an adwank is rather hilarious considering my pro-graffiti/anti-ad history of posts here.