Wednesday, February 11, 2009

bleghhh in advertising

What is all the fuss about Shepard Fairey and his use of a not-so-great photo to create some great, iconic, poster art? Artists have been working from photographs since there was photography. Check out Degas and Bonnard, to name a few. They didn't only work from photographs, but became accomplished photographers. It's not a big deal to work from a photographic source and the end result is not any less "art."

If you want to waste time pointing a finger at a blatant rip-off, look no further than the latest Pepsi campaign, which not only co-opts the Obama campaign's logo, but is now using it with the word "change" in its print ads. As if that is the change anyone needs. I've never been a fan of Coke's red-headed stepchild anyway, but they just guaranteed that this swill will not find a way into my home. Pass the Dr. Pepper...