Aap! - Alternative Advertising Possibilities

Make way for the King of the Road. From the “Decotora” photo book. © Masaru Tatsuki

We’re big fans of Decotora - the fun and wacky line of Japanese pimped out buses and trucks. From estranged Godzillaesque monsters to stylish low riding styles with Samuri themes - from Kansai to Hokkaido - count yourself lucky to see one of the pimped out rides in Japan! . They are one of the wonderful elements that make Japan great.

Masaru Tatsuki has just finished a whole photoseries on the topic and is holding a gallery opening and exhibition Until February 3rd. Highly recommended.

Masaru Tatsuki’s “Decotora” Photo Exhibition
Venue: Little More Chika gallery, Tokyo.
Until Sunday, February 3rd.
Open: From 12 to 7pm.
Entry: ¥200.

Via PingMag 

Besides discussions of the world economy, technologists, advertising agencies, and marketers were also present at last week’s World Economic Forum looking to discuss coming year of advertising trends.  One question on everyone’s mind is whether social networks, video games and mobile phones are going to become more and more mainstream.

However, Sony’s chief executive Howard Stringer had other opinions in mind. Despite the forum’s positive take on in-game advertisement, he expressed his doubts on the marketing trend’s effectiveness in the medium. Taken from an article in the Financial Times, Stringer was quoted to have said:

“The [supposed] solution to everything at the moment in the digital space is ad supported. While advertisers are happy to talk that up, there is a limit to the amount of money available.”

Similar sentiments were voiced out by NBC Universal chief executive Jeff Zucker in the field of mobile advertising. Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick also echoed Stringer’s sentiments about advertising-funded video games.

However, new forms of advertising were being explored as well. Advertisers were hoping to engage consumers into more interactive models, who are slowly drifting away from the usual radio, print, and television ads.

Researchers proved that many consumers found that advertising in mobile, video games, and social networking to be rather “intrusive”, although many were still willing to put up with it in exchange for free content. While this is especially true with the younger consumers, many business models are already adjusting to growing trend.

Via [FT.com]

Japan lags behind most of the world in its attitudes to those with “different capabilities.” Some fairly positive adverts from the JDSN aim to bring attenion to those living with down syndrome in Japan.

Wonder if this will keep families from “hiding” their challenged relatives in the outskirts of major cities?

See the JDSN adverts in their full glory

Amazing poster design by Australian graphic designer Anthony Kolber in his new series Reflections.

Anthony explains his work with

“The image exemplifies the snowball effect which occurs in stylistic trends within the design community. The photograph of the figure holding their poster has been adopted, realized and exhausted until it is void of all meaning and originality.

This poster functions more as a commentary than a critique. Its focus is aimed ideologically at the prototypal nature of the image within our contemporary visual culture, yet it removes itself from making any direct critical comment on it.“

Highly recommended.

At Send A Message , a collaboration between Dutch advertising professionals and creative Palestinian youth, web goers can purchase “real world tags” on the 620 Kilometer fence separating Palestinians from Israel.  For a mere 30 Euros, users can elect to have their personal messages spray painted on the fence. Purchasers are given 3 digital photos of the completed work for personal usage.

The revenue from the tagging goes to build new schools, soccer fields, youth centers and other humanitarian projects in the area.

Be it a proposal for a lost love, a web url, or a humorous message this is a great project that brings the world closer to this complex situation in a peaceful and non threatening way.

More @

Al-Jazeera’s Video Report “Painting peace on Israel’s concrete canvas“ 

Send a Message Project Website

“Advertising is a tax you pay for unremarkable thinking.” -  Robert Stephens of the Geek Squad and head of one of the growing number of brands that have been built without the help of major advertising agencies or budgets.

Read more in BusinessWeek’s Re-cap on Advertising and Branding 2007

With 1000’s of members around the world participating, Windowzoo is one of the world’s most popular community art projects.  

Using non permanent markings, participants release animals into mostly urban environments with the placement of vinyl adhesive “animals.”

From eagles to giraffes to sharks, the collection of critters is outstanding and brings new meaning to the term “urban jungle.”

Stuck on making your own WindowZoo Critter > Learn how with this WindowZoo 9 step guide 

More on WindowZoo Art Project

* Flickr Photo by BAYT from the Windowzoo Flickr Group 

Based in Paris, Zevs the anonymous Parisian street artist has been active since the early 90s.

Aside from his “shadow” work that consists of painting the outlines of the cast shadows thrown by permanent city fixtures - Zevs does wonderful work that “attacks” billboards and other city advertisements to create new interesting art.

His best known work is when he cut out shapes from a a gigantic Lavazza-poster in Berlin and stenciled above the poster the message: “VISUAL KIDNAPPING - PAY NOW!.” He is also known for attacking billboards and other city advertisements, spraying a dot of red between the eyes of models, letting it drip down like blood. He has taken this drip technique to corporate logos as well, and in his first solo show in London at the Lazarides Gallery, titled Liquidated Logos, he presented them on canvas for the first time.

Other links on Zevs:
- Zevs’ Commercial Work
- Zevs takes on McDonalds with “liquidated logos”

More @ 49Sparks Video Podcast

Tomoyuki SAKAGUCHI delivers an amazing set of eerie photographs of the suburban Tokyo landscape in his coffee table book “Home.” Oddly parked cars, flowers, and overpowering vines, line small houses of mixed styles in haunting absent photos of Tokyo homes. The familiar densely arranged homes with anonymous street corners are rendered strange and almost set like by glowing overhead street lights.

Highly recommended.

Enjoy prints and photos @ the photographer’s website