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Graffiti ads spark debate in US


Zack Morris

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Graffiti ads spark debate in US

 

A graffiti advertising campaign for Sony Playstation portable games has triggered a controversy in the US.

 

Wordless displays showing cartoon characters interacting with the game have popped up in cities from New York to San Francisco.

 

But a Philadelphia watchdog says the stealth marketing violates a regulation process in the city, while others have criticised its visual appeal.

 

A Sony spokeswoman said its "portable product" was aimed at "urban nomads".

 

 

They're just trying to get into the teenagers' minds

Eddie Torres

Philadelphia resident

 

Molly Smith told Wired News internet news site earlier this month that Sony was hiring artists in seven cities to spray-paint the pre-drawn designs.

 

But in San Francisco, the ads were defaced as it became known that Sony was behind them. "Fony" was written on one.

 

And in Philadelphia, an official has now faxed a letter to Sony urging the company to cease the ad campaign.

 

"This really flies in the face of everything we've been trying to do with our anti-blight initiative," Pedro Ramos said, referring to a campaign against illegal or inappropriate billboards in the city.

 

However, the ads have also drawn praise.

 

A Philadelphia resident told the Associated Press the concept was "sharp".

 

"It's all about hip-hop, urban and all that. They're just trying to get into the teenagers' minds," Eddie Torres said.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4567236.stm

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Originally posted by Getzup@Dec 29 2005, 01:01 PM

WHAT IS THIS "BROKEN WINDOW THEORY" THAT YOU SPEAK OF?

 

If you see a building with a broken window, and it's abandoned, it's ok to break any other windows that aren't broken.

 

Sometimes, this can hold true for places that aren't abandoned, and this general idea can be applied to many

 

aspects of life...

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Originally posted by Sparoism@Dec 29 2005, 01:04 PM

Don't we have more important things to worry about?

 

Graff is just the messenger. People seem to want to forget that.

 

nope. this is the pinnacle of worries.

 

 

hell...graf isn't even the messenger...its the medium. all hates direted towards sony and their crack think-tank ad agency.

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yes, that is the simplest form of the broken window's theory, but it extends much further than that.

 

More specfically it speaks to the degredation of neighborhoods into slums. Many contest that graffiti, in its many forms, is another example of this concept. If the lay person sees someone spraying on someone elses private property, then not only is it ok to do it themselves, but it also propogates a mindset of less value for the entire community itself. If a person's business is of so little value as someone completely random can paint all over the property, then it must be a bad store. So on and so forth until the community as a whole becomes a ghetto incapable of bringing itself up in the world because of the self perpetuating denegration established by the original "broken window."

 

 

While I do not entirely believe in all of this theory's implications, I do think some of it is true.

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Originally posted by Zack Morris@Dec 29 2005, 11:18 AM

But a Philadelphia watchdog says the stealth marketing violates a regulation process in the city

 

 

And in Philadelphia, an official has now faxed a letter to Sony urging the company to cease the ad campaign.

 

 

"This really flies in the face of everything we've been trying to do with our anti-blight initiative," Pedro Ramos said, referring to a campaign against illegal or inappropriate billboards in the city.

 

 

 

 

 

from what i read it seems that they have a bigger problem with sony using space for ads without using the proper city channels, then it is a problem with graffiti per se. it seems the city is pissed cuz they arent getting any approvals for ad space rather then the way they choose to create their ads....someone post pics please

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i saw one of those psp "graffiti" ads just pop up on one of my friend's walls...not sure how it got there...if he did it or if someone else took the liberty to add it to a wall that was already painted...

 

 

those characters in the ad are huff anyway...corporate kats need to chill on graff shit...cuz', essentially, they always end up campaigning with some shit that's watered-down and lacking in real style......of course, there are a few exceptions

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Guest Dyptheria

this irritates me on many levels.

i hate consumerism and corporate ads perpetuating the american ideal that you constatntly need new things to make your life complete.

vandalaism, to me, is an action i feel good about doing since it is harmful to these people's ideals, yet relatively harmless compared to what these corporations do to humanity and the planet.

 

i think on wooster or some other urban-art-type website, they sent out a statement to the media saying how sony's campaign backfired since their target audience knew it was corporate commissioned "street art", and now the people they were trying to reach, hates the ads.

 

the city where i live, that shit's getting crossed out on the daily.

i'm constantly pulling the stickers off the train stations.

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Originally posted by BoB Hope ONER@Dec 29 2005, 04:02 PM

those ads.. are so horrible.. in every way.. urban blight my ass.. you cant blame an ad campaign for urban blight..its just highlighting something youre trying to ignore or play down.

 

i AM urban blight

just in case that was directed at me.

 

advos are gonna hijack any concept they think will give them an 'edge'

or access to their target audience

 

the only thing ads have ever gotten me to do is NOT buy a product

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