Art is everywhere we look in our society. It ranges from downloading music to the great interest in arts and crafts and the increase in do-it-yourself projects with the downturn in the economy. There is so much to choose from when it comes to music, movies and books and the art in museums. Art can be a means or escape from every day burdens and the unpleasant things of life. It should be more than just amusing. It should engage and promote thoughtfulness and challenge people’s lives.
The creativity of art engages people. It helps focus community building on strengths and passions, rather than on deficits and negatives. In Raleigh, NC for example, a public art project highlights the work of local artists on the sides of Capital Area Transit (CAT) buses traveling through the city. One of the goals is to increase opportunities for Raleigh citizens to engage in the arts.
We shouldn’t get caught up in whatever powerful media corporations dish out and go with what’s popular at the moment. We do this by voting with what we will pay for and watch.
Take for example the new Pepsi logo that’s showing up all over; tops of taxis, subway stops, and billboards. Pepsi paid several million dollars for the design group behind it to write a 27 page document using comparisons with everything from the golden ratio, the Mona Lisa, the Parthenon, to the earth and its magnetic fields, and the solar system. So far, the reviews have not been favorable. It seems to be just a variation on the previous logo:
Love your insight--I found it to be "current" and creative. I sometimes forget that many of the things you mentioned are considered to be "art". These art forms are so publically pervasive that it's kind of scary how advertisers have become so effective at gaining the attention of their market segment--or by creating new ones. When you really think about it.....they can be compared to online spyware--or even predators...they watch are every move and probably have a better handle on what really motivates us better than we know ourselves. Pretty scary! What's even scarier is the fact that Pepsi invested so much time, energy and captial into a logo that hasn't received favorable reviews...they should probably stick to the manufacturer of soda...I liked their original logo...why change a good thing? But, I have to say, either logo wouldn't persuade me to switch from Coke--I'm a die hard Diet Coke gal!
ReplyDeleteHi Chris!
ReplyDeleteI was getting caught up on reading your last 2 blogs..I enjoyed both (see comment below). I think that Pepsi is trying to compete with Coke.. but they have it all wrapped up in the creativity dept. Remember "Id like to teach the world to sing.." add for Coke many years ago? Or the polar bear ones more recently? They have a fantastic add dept. And they really know how to get people hooked with sighs and sounds- creatively using art to their ad-vantage!
HI Chris.. I too enjoyed your blog. Pepsi needs to go back to basics, they had something that worked for them, why change it!
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