New For The Summer But Old News For Everyone Else: PabstColt45 Rage
Ugh. It’s just too hot. I came here to the Rocket Cat Cafe in Fishtown this morning in the hopes of catching some cool, cool, freon breezes, but is it any surprise that it’s as sticky and unforgiving as the summer of 1994 in here? Rocket Cat, man. Don’t even get me started. My point: It is my belief that the same outdated activist-lite braincloud that produced less-than-effective air conditionings in the RC is the same bullshitzeitgeist that is provoking the twin outrages we shall call The Pabstocaust and The One-Year Colt 45 Delayed Reaction. (Holy shit, it really does work every time! Apparently, you just have to wait.) At issue: Loads of ads — most of which I’m guessing have been duly paid-for — all over the city that could maybe sorta look for a second like murals if you were perhaps not very aware of the century-plus old concept and tradition of wall-size advertising in major American cities. SCRUB is upset! (Advice: Start living in the NOW, fools, advertising is as much a part of us as the air we breathe.) The Mural Arts Commission is upset! (Advice/desperate plea: QUALITY OVER QUANTITY, yo.) That’s all well and good, but seriously, it’s just too damn hot. Please. Can we not?
KYW: The Pabstocaust
AP: In The Time Since This Ad Campaign Has Gone Up, Pamela Anderson Has Had Three Different Husbands
June 27th, 2008 at 11:18 am
illegality aside, i take issue with these adverts on the basis of aesthetics. they’re ubiquitous(especially the pabst ads) AND ugly.
also, you should read this:
http://www.amazon.com/Unmarketable-Brandalism-Copyfighting-Mocketing-Integrity/dp/1595581685
June 27th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
man - i’m not sure i get the whole ‘anti’ mural arts program vibe… the fact that Philly has more murals than any city in the world is cool in many levels; artistically and community building - - sure, there’s a few that aren’t the BEST, but overall, i dig the fact that this city pops with art just around most corners…
June 27th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Robert - true, but really. Do we need to take you on the Bad Murals tour we’ve been threatening for the last two years? Also, honestly, this Coltpabstfuray has nothing to do with the Mural Arts folks. Not their domain.
June 27th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Ah, summer 1994. Sure, it was hot, but I was still innocent, Old City was still ours, and Dirty Franks was still unadorned with the lipstick of a mural. Things have changed, but for the better?
June 27th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Do we need to take you on the Bad Murals tour we’ve been threatening for the last two years?
Actually, that would be a kick-ass road trip!
But seriously, bad murals v no murals … i dunno, there’s something to be said about art for art sake. I’d rather have a wall of bizarre faces and colors than a blank sheet of red bricks — or worse yet, a wall simply tagged with simple graffiti
fact is more often than not - the murals go untagged … always a good thing.
(simple graffiti = a tag with one can on the run)