CAMERON HAMLET COPYWRITING

INTERVIEWS

AN INTERVIEW SERIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP/DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADVERTISING AND ART

2016

INTERVIEW 1

SANTI SAUCEDO

ART DIRECTOR / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

AT THE TIME OF THIS INTERVIEW SANTI WAS A SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ART DIRECTOR AT IRIS IN ATLANTA. I SPOKE WITH HIM TO SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO BREAK FREE FROM THE RESTRICTIONS OF THE CORPORATE WORLD WHILE CREATING WORK THAT FULFILLS THE CLIENT’S NEEDS.  

QUESTION: WHY CAN’T ADVERTISING BE TOTALLY FREE WHEELING AND INTUITIVE?

ANSWER: SO THE BARRIERS OF APPROVAL ARE KIND OF THERE. IT'S NOT TO LIMIT CREATIVITY, BUT, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S TO MAKE THE WORK MORE THOUGHTFUL. SO, WE COULD CRANK OUT AN INSTAGRAM (REEBOK) J.J. WATT WITHIN THE DAY, BUT IT’S ULTIMATELY BETTER IF YOU HAVE KIND OF LIKE RHYME AND REASON, SO, J.J. WATT, HE CAN BLAST OUT STUFF ON HIS INSTAGRAM KIND OF ANYTIME HE WANTS. I MEAN HE'S GOT LIKE 17 MILLION FOLLOWERS, UHM, SO, SO THAT'S COVERED, BUT IF YOU'RE GONNA HIRE AN AGENCY TO PUT STUFF OUT, GENERALLY PEOPLE WANT A STRATEGY OF WHAT ARE WE PUTTING OUT, WHY ARE WE PUTTING IT OUT, UHM, A CONTENT CALENDER, LIKE WHEN ARE WE GOING TO DEPLOY IT SO IT HAS RELEVANT IMPACT, YOU KNOW LIKE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE LIKE, CURRENTLY THE J.J. ONES (SHOES) ARE SOLD OUT. SO, WE CAN'T HYPE THIS SHOE UP ANYMORE NOW, BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, IT'S JUST A WASTE. AS SOON AS THEY GET A NEW SHIPMENT OR THE NEXT COLOR WAY RELEASES THEN YAH, THEN WE GO BLAST STUFF OUT AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT SELLS OUT, BUT WE COULD MAKE A SUPER COOL VINE PIECE OR YOU KNOW OR EVEN WHATEVER YOU WANT, PRINT PIECE, E-MAIL, AND IT'S NOT GONNA SELL MORE SHOES AT THE MOMENT, SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE AN INEFFICIENT USE OF YOUR CREATIVITY, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT'S WASTED BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SEVERAL OTHER CLIENTS THAT WE CAN THROW OUR BRAINS AT YOU KNOW? SO I GUESS THAT'S PART OF THE WORLD OF APPLIED ARTS. LIKE IT'S NEVER ART FOR ARTS SAKE OR FOR MESSAGING OUR OWN THOUGHTS OR OUR OWN CREATIVITY. IT'S ALWAYS ART FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE IN MIND, AND ALMOST ALWAYS IT'S A PROBLEM SOLVING MECHANISM SO WE USE CREATIVITY TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT A CLIENT HAS AND IF THERE IS NO PROBLEM OR WE DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM THAT'S BEEN ADDRESSED TO US WE DON'T NECESSARILY FIRE ANYTHING OFF BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WERE PAID FOR. WE’RE USING OUR MEANS AND THE STAFF THAT WE HAVE WHICH IS MORE CREATIVE THAN OUR CLIENTS HAVE ON STAFF TO CREATE THINGS THAT SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS. 

QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ART AND ADVERTISING? 

ANSWER: I THINK THAT RELATES TO THE AD IDEA OF BEING A PROBLEM SOLVER. YOU KNOW IN APPLIED ARTS YOU ARE USING YOUR CRAFT WITH SOMEONE ELSE TO REACH A SPECIFIC GOAL FOR A SPECIFIC AUDIENCE THAT'S NOT YOU. WHERE AS I FEEL LIKE ART, THAT YOU DO FOR YOURSELF, WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS INDUSTRY DO, AND I APPRECIATE ART TREMENDOUSLY. A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S MORE REFLECTIVE OF THE ARTIST THEMSELVES, LIKE THEY'RE EXPRESSING SOMETHING THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO GET OUT OR THEY’RE TRYING TO PROGRESS A THOUGHT FORWARD THAT THEY HAVE AND IT MAY NOT HAVE A CLEAR GOAL IT MIGHT BE JUST FOR CREATIVITY’S SAKE. IT MIGHT BE FOR THEIR OWN MEANS WHICH NO ONE ELSE IS INVESTED IN, WHICH IS FINE. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES YOU MAKE SOMETHING GREAT JUST BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO MAKE IT OR YOU FELT INSPIRED TO MAKE IT, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY FOR THE BETTERMENT OF ALL HUMANITY. I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYONE CAN AGREE THAT ART DOES THAT, BUT THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE. 

QUESTION: WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO? 

ANSWER: YAH, THAT'S A FUNNY ONE. SO, MY MOTHER WAS AN ARCHITECT, AND ME AND MY OLDER BROTHER ALWAYS DREW, AND I GOT INTO ART SCHOOL STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL, SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS LIKE IT WAS ALWAYS JUST THERE AHEAD OF ME, AND I KIND OF CHASED IT, NOT WITH A TON OF THOUGHT. I ACTUALLY DON'T REMEMBER HOW I NETTED OUT GRAPHIC DESIGN EXCEPT FOR THAT I LIKED THE WEB DESIGN CLASS AT MY HIGH SCHOOL AND I GUESS I'VE JUST ALWAYS BEEN FOLLOWING THAT INTEREST LIKE I WAS AND STILL AM INTERESTED IN WEBSITES AND WEB DESIGN, AND THEN FROM THE DRAWING BACKGROUND I'M ALSO INTERESTED IN ALL SORTS OF STATIC IMAGERY SO I'M VERY TECHNICAL IN PHOTOSHOP. I USED TO TEACH AN ADVANCED CLASS IN NEW YORK AND I DO THAT NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE IT'S, I MEAN IT’S BENEFICIAL TO MY JOB, BUT I WOULD DO IT ANYWAYS. I FEEL LIKE I JUST INSTINCTIVELY CREATE THINGS, AND I FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES THE AD WORLD IS A WAY TO MONETIZE CREATIVITY. I DON'T THINK CREATIVITY NEEDS THE AD WORLD. I THINK CREATIVE PEOPLE JUST MAKE THINGS BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE THINGS AND THEY'RE DRIVEN TO MAKE THEM, AND BECAUSE I'VE KIND FALLEN INTO THIS WORLD THAT FINDS A PURPOSE FOR THEM THAT I LIKE, I MEAN, I LIKE ADVERTISING. OBVIOUSLY. IF I DIDN'T I WOULD HAVE THAT CREATIVITY ENERGY STILL, BUT I WOULD BE USING IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE BUT I GUESS I FOUND A WORLD THAT COULD UTILIZE THE FACT THAT I LIKE CREATING THINGS, THAT I LIKE SEEING NEW THINGS, LEARNING NEW SKILLS AND THEN, YOU KNOW, PUT THAT OUT IN THE WORLD FOR ME 

QUESTION: IS THEIR PERSONAL EXPRESSION IN YOUR ADVERTISING WORK? 

ANSWER: I THINK THAT GOES A LITTLE BIT BACK TO THAT PROBLEM SOLVING ANGLE, UHM SO YOU'VE GOT - THE WAY YOU SOLVE PROBLEMS CREATIVELY IS DIVERGENT PROBLEM SOLVING SO IT'S NOT THE OBVIOUS SOLUTION AND I THINK YOU TAKE A LOT OF PERSONAL PRIDE IN FINDING A SOLUTION THAT WORKS OR A SOLUTION THAT YOU FIND TO BE ENTERTAINING OR INSPIRING OR JUST CLEVER AND I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE INVESTED A LITTLE BIT IN THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK TO PUT UP WITH ALL OF THE LAYERS THE COME WITH ADVERTISING. I DON'T THINK ANYBODY COULD MAINTAIN A CREATIVE CAREER IF THEY WEREN'T PROUD OF THE WORK THAT THEY PUT OUT. IT'S WAY TOO MUCH WORK TO JUST KIND OF BE DOING IT FOR THE PAYCHECK. 

QUESTION: DO YOU THINK COLLABORATION IS BETTER FOR CREATIVITY, OR DO YOU THINK INDIVIDUAL EXPLORATION IS BETTER? OR, DO YOU THINK THEY'RE EACH BETTER IN THEIR OWN WAYS? 

ANSWER: I THINK COLLABORATION IS PRETTY MUCH MANDATORY, AND IT'S NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN GET MORE DONE WHEN YOU WORK WITH MORE PEOPLE BUT EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT GREAT ARTISTS THAT WE CONSIDER GENIUSES THEY ALL COME FROM A BACKGROUND WHERE THEY WERE SHARING THEIR IDEAS, WHETHER IT'S LIKE COFFEE SHOPS IN PARIS IN LIKE 1920 OR I MEAN MICHELANGELO CAME FROM A GUILD HE WAS EDUCATED AMONGST DIFFERENT PEOPLE SO I CAN'T THINK OF ONE ART LONE GENIUS THAT'S ACTUALLY AND ALONE GENIUS. IF YOU ACTUALLY SCRATCH A LITTLE BEYOND THAT YOU REALIZE THAT EVERYBODY, SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE WAS BOUNCING IDEAS OFF SOMEONE OR REACTING TO PEOPLE EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T DISCUSSING IT. I FEEL LIKE THAT'S ALMOST LIKE A TURBO CHARGER FOR YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS. IF YOUR JUST IN A VACUUM YOU MIGHT COME UP WITH SOMETHING COOL, BUT IF YOU BOUNCE THAT IDEA OFF SOMETHING ELSE, THEN SOMETHING ELSE, THEN SOMETHING ELSE, AND IT LED TO SOMETHING SOMEBODY HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT. SO IT'S UP TO YOU HOW YOU COLLABORATE, BUT I THINK COLLABORATION IS PRETTY CRUCIAL. 

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STEALING, COPYING, AND APPROPRIATION OF OTHER PEOPLES WORK? 

ANSWER: SO LIKE PICASSO, FOR EXAMPLE. HE DIDN'T COME UP WITH CUBISM. SO THAT KIND OF TELLS YOU IT'S WRONG TO STEAL AN IDEA FROM SOMEBODY TO TRY TO CREATE OR EVEN DIMINISH THEIR CONTRIBUTION. I THINK ITS GOOD TO APPROPRIATE WORK IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING NEW OR EXCITING. AND I DO FEEL LIKE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WILL STEAL WORK AND NOT PUSH IT FURTHER, AND THEY CAN MAKE A DENT, BUT THAT'S A VERY; THAT'S A SHORT LIVED AD LIFE YOU KNOW? BECAUSE OF SOME BODIES DONE IT BEFORE, AT BEST YOU CAN DO IT BIGGER OR IN FRONT OF A BIGGER AUDIENCE, BUT IT'S NOT THAT EXCITING. EVENTUALLY YOUR ART DIRECTORS AND PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY ARE GONNA REALIZE THIS GUYS KIND OF A DUD. SO I FEEL LIKE THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S ARTISTS OR APPLIED ARTISTS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN, ADVERTISING, FILM, I THINK THERE'S A NATURAL FILTER FOR THAT SO I DON'T SWEAT TOO MUCH WHEN I THINK ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE STEALING STUFF. 

QUESTION: DO YOU FIND WORK AND APPROPRIATE IT? 

ANSWER: I THINK SO I MEAN, IF I'M 100% HONEST, YAH, EVEN ON SUBCONSCIOUS LEVELS I'M SURE I DO IT A LOT BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THAT COLLABORATIVE PROCESS OF BOUNCING IDEAS OFF PEOPLE AND SOMETIMES YOUR BOUNCING IDEAS OFF OF SOMETHING YOU SAW ON PINTEREST OR TUMBLR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT YOU THINK OH THAT THING THEY DID KIND OF OPENED YOUR EYES TO SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD DO AND HOPEFULLY THAT'S WHEN YOU MAKE THAT CREATIVE DECISION TO MOLD IT AND ENHANCE IT FOR YOUR PURPOSE, NOT JUST KIND OF RIP IT OFF.

QUESTION: WHAT DOES THE WORD CONCEPT MEAN TO YOU WHETHER IT'S IN ART OR ADVERTISING? 

ANSWER: I THINK CONCEPTS ARE HUGE IN ADVERTISING BECAUSE YOUR TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING THAT RESONATES WITH AN AUDIENCE. SO I THINK AT BEST CONCEPT FINDS YOU A LITTLE TRUTH THAT PEOPLE WILL RELATE TO AND UNDERSTAND AND THEN THAT HELPS YOU GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS WITH SOME LEVEL OF AUTHORITY OR AUTHENTICITY. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE ART WORLD NOW YOU'VE GOT ARTISTS LIKE JEFF KOONS WHO I LIKE A LOT. HE DOESN'T MAKE ANY OF HIS STUFF BUT HE'S GOT GREAT IDEAS BEHIND WHY HE HAS OTHER PEOPLE MAKE THEM, AND THAT IN ITSELF IS INTERESTING. PEOPLE CAN THINK ABOUT IT, DISCUSS IT, AND ENRICH THEIR LIVES THROUGH CONCEPTUAL ART, AND PEOPLE CAN DO THE SAME THING, ON SOME LEVEL WITH ADVERTISING. THEY CAN RELATE TO A BRAND OR FEEL LIKE A BRAND CAN SPEAK TO THEM IN A UNIQUE WAY AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING. 

INTERVIEW 2

AMY HAMLET

PAINTER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER

AMY HAMLET IS A PAINTER. SHE STUDIED PAINTING AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, AND HAS BEEN PAINTING FOR MANY YEARS, HAVING SHOWN IN GALLERIES AND SOLD MANY PIECES. SHE IS ALSO A DESIGNER. SHE STUDIED GRAPHIC DESIGN AT THE MASSACHUSETTS COLLEGE OF ART. HER VIEW IS VERY INTERESTING IN THAT SHE HAS STUDIED AND CREATED IN BOTH THE ART AND THE BUSINESS WORLD. 

QUESTION: DO YOU THINK THE CREATION OF ART SHOULD REMAIN A PERSONAL ENDEAVOR OR BECOME A MORE COLLABORATIVE FIELD? 

ANSWER: I DON'T THINK THERE SHOULD BE ANY 'SHOULD'S' IN ART. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN ART IS THAT IT IS ORIGINAL, AND THAT CAN BE IN AS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AS THERE ARE PEOPLE. AND BY ORIGINAL THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WAS CREATED IN A VACUUM OR WAS NOT INFLUENCED BY OTHER ARTISTS. THAT BEING SAID, ART IS A VERY PERSONAL ENDEAVOR WHETHER IT IS CREATED BY ONE ARTIST OR A GROUP OF ARTISTS. THE MIXTURE OF PERSONALITIES CREATES SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE. THE WORK WARHOL DID WITH BASQUIAT WAS CERTAINLY DIFFERENT FROM HIS INDIVIDUAL WORK, BUT IT REPRESENTED BOTH THEIR PERSONALITIES.  BUT I THINK ARTISTS ARE BY NATURE NOT VERY COLLABORATIVE PEOPLE AND HAVE VERY BIG EGOS SO MOST ART WILL CONTINUE TO BE PREDOMINATELY INDIVIDUAL.

QUESTION: AND VICE VERSA; DO YOU THINK THE CREATION OF COMMERCIAL WORK SHOULD BECOME A MORE PERSONAL ENDEAVOR OR REMAIN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT? 

ANSWER: I DON'T BELIEVE COMMERCIAL ART CAN BE VERY PERSONAL, IT HAS TO MEET TOO MANY EXTERNAL CRITERIA. SO IT USUALLY REQUIRES THE INPUT OF MORE THAT ONE PERSON. BUT AGAIN, THE VERY BEST COMMERCIAL ART IS ORIGINAL AND STILL ACHIEVES IT'S PURPOSE, WHICH IS EITHER TO SELL SOMETHING OR COMMUNICATE SOMETHING THAT THE COMPANY PAYING FOR THE WORK HAS DETERMINED. 

QUESTION: YOU HAVE CREATED A DEEP CATALOGUE OF WORK IN BOTH THE CORPORATE WORLD AND ART WORLD, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IS THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO WORLDS? 

ANSWER: IT'S PURPOSE IS THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE. 

QUESTION: WHAT WOULD SAY IS THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN BOTH FIELDS? 

ANSWER: IN COMMERCIAL ART THE PROCESS STARTS AND ENDS WITH THE PURPOSE AND CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE CLIENT. THE DESIGNER HAS THEIR OWN IDEAS AND DESIGN PROCESS BUT THEY MUST ULTIMATELY MEET THE CLIENT'S TO BE SUCCESSFUL. FINE ART STARTS AND ENDS WITH THE PURPOSE AND CRITERIA ESTABLISHED BY THE ARTIST. THERE MAY BE WORK THAT IS COMMISSIONED THAT MUST MEET CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS THE ARTIST THAT DETERMINES THE OUTCOME.

QUESTION: DO YOU THINK THESE WORLDS COULD EVER MERGE? OR ARE THERE DISTINCT BARRIERS THAT CANNOT BE CHANGED? 

ANSWER: I THINK THEY DO SOMETIMES. WARHOL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF FINE ART MERGING WITH COMMERCIAL ART. HE CALLED HIS NYC STUDIO "THE FACTORY". AND THERE IS COMMERCIAL ART THAT INTEGRATES FINE ART INTO THE DESIGN. THERE IS DESIGN LIKE FASHION, FURNITURE, AND POSTERS THAT YOU WILL SEE IN ART MUSEUMS, SO THESE PIECES HAVE TRANSCENDED THEIR COMMERCIAL USE INTO THE REALM OF FINE ART. 

QUESTION: WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT CURRENTLY SEPARATE ART FROM COMMERCIAL WORK? 

ANSWER: THE LIMITED VISION OF CLIENTS AND THE EGOS OF ARTISTS.

QUESTION: WHAT ROLE DOES ART HAVE IN SOCIETY? WHAT ROLE DOES ADVERTISING HAVE IN SOCIETY? 

ANSWER: FINE ART SHOULD MOTIVATE THE VIEWER TO SEE AND THINK BEYOND HIS OR HER NORMAL EXISTENCE. COMMERCIAL ART SHOULD MOTIVATE THE VIEWER TO WANT SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T KNOW THEY WANTED OR HELP THEM UNDERSTAND SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE.

INTERVIEW 3

LESLIE ORTIZ

SCULPTOR

LESLIE ORTIZ AND HER CREATIVE PARTNER LOUIS MONTOYA ARE SCULPTURAL GIANTS. NOT ONLY DO THEY SCULPT GIANT THINGS, THEY ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT MAKE A LIVING WHILE CREATING EXACTLY WHA THEIR HEART DESIRES. THEY ARE NOT LIMITED BY THE RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED UPON THE CREATOR WHO CREATES FOR BUSINESS. THEY FREE TO MAKE WHATEVER IT IS THEY CHOOSE, AND WHAT THEY MAKE IS SOLD FOR GIGANTIC SUMS OF MONEY. THIS IS NOT A CAREER THAT ANYONE CAN HAVE. THESE TWO CREATORS ARE TRULY GIFTED, AND I WANTED TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT OF ADVERTISING. I SPOKE WITH LESLIE.

QUESTION: DO YOU THINK THE CREATION OF ART SHOULD REMAIN A PERSONAL ENDEAVOR OR BECOME A MORE COLLABORATIVE FIELD? 

ANSWER: WE DON'T SEE A DIFFERENCE. WHETHER YOU ARE WORKING ALONE OR IN A COLLABORATION, YOU ARE STILL USING ALL YOUR SKILLS TALENT AND CREATIVE ABILITIES TO MAKE ART.  

QUESTION: WHY DO YOU DO WHAT YOU DO?

ANSWER: WHAT ELSE ARE WE GOING TO DO.  IT IS ALL WE KNOW HOW TO DO, AND IT IS ALL THAT WE WANT TO DO.

QUESTION: WHAT ROLE DOES ART HAVE IN SOCIETY? WHAT ROLE DOES ADVERTISING HAVE IN SOCIETY? 

ANSWER: THE ROLE OF ART IN SOCIETY IS TO HELP US SEE OUR COMMON HUMANITY AND HELP US RECOGNIZE THE BEAUTY THAT SURROUNDS US...HOW PRECIOUS IT IS, AND HOW WE MUST PRESERVE IT. THE ROLE OF ADVERTISING IS TO PROMOTE A PRODUCT AND ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO PURCHASE IT.

QUESTION: HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'VE ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN AN INDIVIDUAL PROJECT? HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'VE ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN YOUR CAREER AS A WHOLE?  

ANSWER: YOU NEVER KNOW. YOU HAVE ACHIEVED SUCCESS IN YOUR CAREER WHEN YOU CAN'T WAIT TO GET THERE EVERY MORNING.  WHEN YOUR CAREER IS WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO…NOT JUST A JOB.

QUESTION: WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CREATING SOMETHING COMMERCIAL AND CREATING SOMETHING PERSONAL? 

ANSWER: THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE.  EVERYTHING YOU CREATE IS PERSONAL.  IT BECOMES COMMERCIAL IF IT HAPPENS TO SELL.

ESSAYS

THE SUPREME© HAMMER: HOW A CORPORATE BRAND BECAME A WORLD RENOWNED ARTIST 

LIKE WORKS OF ART, SUPREME PRODUCTS RESELL FOR MORE THAN THEY'RE ORIGINAL ASKING PRICE.

THE SUPREME BRAND, ORIGINALLY A SMALL CLOTHING BOUTIQUE MAKING T-SHIRTS FOR SKATERS HAS EXPLODED INTO A MASS PHENOMENON. IT IS, IN EVERY ESSENCE OF THE TERM, A LIFESTYLE BRAND, AND FURTHERMORE, IT HAS DONE WHAT EVERY LIFESTYLE BRAND SHOULD AIM TO DO. SUPREME THE BRAND, HAS CREATED A CULTURAL PHENOMENON AKIN TO THAT OF THE RISE OF THE NEXT FAMOUS ART OR ROCK SUPERSTAR THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO BE, FOLLOW, AND BUY FROM. A SUPERSTAR IN THE GLORIOUS PLACE WHERE EVERYTHING THEY PUT THERE NAME ON IS IMMEDIATELY DESIRED AND PURCHASED. 

THE MAKING OF A SUPERSTAR IS FAR MORE THAN HARD WORK. IT IS ABOUT BRANDING. NOTICE, IF YOU WILL, HOW NEARLY EVERY MASSIVELY FAMOUS ARTIST IS BOTH TALENTED AND BEAUTIFUL, INTENSELY CREATIVE AND INTENSELY ALLURING. THERE ARE VERY FEW ART SUPERSTARS, ESPECIALLY IN OUR INSTAGRAM AND SNAP CHAT ERA, THAT ARE RESPECTED SOLELY FOR THEIR WORK. THEY, LIKE SUCCESSFUL LIFESTYLE BRANDS, HAVE BECOME CULTURAL PHENOMENON. THEY ARE LIKE ANGELS AMONGST MORTALS, PEOPLE WHO ARE HONORED LIKE GODS BECAUSE THEY SEEM SO UNEXPLAINABLE THAT THEY MUST BE FROM A HIGHER PLANE. OF COURSE, THOSE BELIEFS ARE NOT EVEN REMOTELY TRUE. ALL PEOPLE ARE JUST PEOPLE, BUT, THE CULTIVATION OF THAT PHENOMENAL OTHERWORLDLY EFFECT IS WHAT DRIVES SALES, IN ART AND ADVERTISING ALIKE, AND SUPREME IS A COMPANY THAT HAS BUILT IT’S OWN FAME THROUGH BRANDING. NOW, EVERYTHING THEY PUT THEIR LOGO ON TURNS TO GOLD, AND, WITH THIS IN MIND, THEY SELL THINGS THAT COMMUNICATE THE SOUL OF THE BRAND IN THE SAME WAY AN ARTIST SELLS THINGS THAT COMMUNICATES THEIR SOUL. FOR EXAMPLE, SUPREME, A SKATEBOARDING COMPANY, SELLS A HAMMER.

THE SUPREME HAMMER IS, TO BEGIN WITH, A WILDLY OVERPRICED HAMMER THAT IS NOT PURCHASED TO DO HAMMERING. IT'S PURPOSE IS TO EXPRESS THE CONSUMERS VALUES. IT IS VALUABLE MORE FOR WHAT IT STANDS FOR THAN WHAT IT DOES. THIS MAKES IT VERY SIMILAR TO A WORK OF ART. FOR EXAMPLE, AN ARTIST MAKES A HAMMER OUT OF CLAY TO COMMUNICATE THE SYMBOLIC VALUE OF A HAMMER AS A VEHICLE TO COMMUNICATE WHAT IS INSIDE THEM. SUPREME DOES THE SAME. THERE BRAND IS ABOUT TOUGH AS NAILS BASH YOUR HEAD IN BIG BALLS CRACK OPEN A SKULL BADASSNESS, SO THEY PRODUCED A HAMMER TO COMMUNICATE THIS. 

THE SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE SUPREME HAMMER AND A WORK OF ART GOES BEYOND THE USE OF THE INDIVIDUAL PRODUCT. IT ALSO SAYS THAT A BRANDED ITEM CAN BECOME A WORK OF ART, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT SAYS THAT A BRAND CAN BE AN ARTIST, 

WHEN JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT ROSE TO FAME, LIKE MOST ARTISTS THAT BECOME CULTURAL PHENOMENONS, EVERYTHING HE TOUCHED TURNED TO GOLD; LITERALLY! ANYTHING THAT HAD EVEN THE SLIGHTEST MARKING MADE BY JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT IMMEDIATELY BECAME A WORK OF ART, AND THEREFORE AN ITEM WITH A PRICE TAG. FOR EXAMPLE, FROM A SHOW IN WHICH HIS NOTEBOOKS WERE SEPARATED AND EXHIBITED, PAGE BY PAGE, THERE WAS A PAGE THAT SIMPLY HAD THE WORD “ART” WRITTEN ON IT. MY MEMORY MIGHT TRICK ME, BUT I BELEIVE THERE WAS ALSO AN EMPTY PAGE SET IN A FRAME AND HUNG ON THE WALL AS WELL. AND, EVEN IF THAT WAS A FALSE MEMORY, IT WOULD HAVE FIT IN THE EXHIBIT! THIS IS NOT AN ATROCITY AGAINST ART, IN FACT IT IS A MASSIVE STATEMENT ON THE ARTIST AS A BRAND. IN OTHER WORDS, JUST LIKE SUPREME -WHICH CAN PUT ITS LOGO ON ANYTHING AND IMMEDIATELY SELL IT FOR EIGHT TIMES THE EXPECTED PRICE AND COUNT ON ITS RESALE VALUE TO SKYROCKET ONCE IT IS NO LONGER IN STOCK- JEAN MICHEL BASQUIAT IS SUCH A CULTURAL PHENOMENON THAT PEOPLE WANT A PIECE OF HIM AS MUCH AS THEY WANT A PIECE OF HIS WORK. THIS IS TRULY MASTERFUL BRANDING AT ITS BEST. 

SO, WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN A CLOTHING BRAND SELLS A HAMMER FOR $290? IT MEANS THAT COMMERCIALISM HAS BECOME ART. THE SUPREME HAMMER IS COOL, NOT BECAUSE IT CAN PROBABLY HAMMER A MEAN NAIL REAL GOOD, BUT BECAUSE, LIKE A WORK OF ART IT STANDS FOR SOMETHING. THE SUPREME HAMMER FITS INTO THE BRANDING OF SUPREME IN THE SAME WAY THAT A PIECE OF PAPER WITH THE WORD “ART” WRITTEN IN BASQUIAT’S CHILD LIKE HAND FIT BASQUIAT’S BRAND . THE HAMMER IS AN AGGRESSIVE TOOL, THAT, IN A LOT OF MOVIES THAT THE SUPREME AUDIENCE WATCHES, IS USED TO BASH HEADS IN, NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER, AND DO WHAT YOU WANT, INSTEAD OF WHAT YOUR TOLD. IN ESSENCE IT IS THE SKATER MENTALITY EXPRESSED THROUGH A TOOL. IT IS, IN EVERY WAY, A WORK OF ART, AND IT IS, IN EVERY WAY, A COMMERCIAL PRODUCT.  EVEN THE PHOTO OF THE HAMMER WOULD BE COOL TO BUY AND HANG ON THE WALL BECAUSE IT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE PRODUCT THAT MATTERS, NOT JUST THE PRODUCT, AND IT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE BRAND THAT MATTERS, NOT JUST THE BRAND. 

REALLY, THIS HAMMER IS SAYING TO US (OR REALLY BANGING ON OUR HEADS TRYING TO WAKE US UP AND TELL US) THAT THE FUTURE ART STAR DOESN'T NEED A SINGULAR BODY. THE DAYS WHEN THE NEXT NEW PHENOMENON IS A RAGS TO RICHES PERSON MAY DISAPPEAR. THE NEXT ART WORLD DARLING MIGHT NOT BE A COOL CIGARETTE SMOKING REBEL. IT MIGHT BE A CORPORATION OF HUNDREDS OF COOL CIGARETTE SMOKING REBELS, WHICH, BY ALL ACCOUNTS, WOULD BE A LOT COOLER.

A BOLD (AND LIKELY INCORRECT) PROCLAMATION ON THE SUBJECT OF DIRECTION COMMUNICATION IN ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING IS A VERY DIRECT FORM OF COMMUNICATION. IT AIMS TO MAKE A SPECIFIC POINT, AND WHEN THAT POINT IS COMMUNICATED, THE ADVERTISEMENT IS USELESS, LIKE A SHELL THAT CARRIED AN EGG. A WORK OF ART DOES NOT COMMUNICATE IN SUCH A DIRECT WAY. A WORK OF ART COMMUNICATES IN A BROAD WAY THAT CAN NEVER BE FULLY UNDERSTOOD. IN THIS SENSE, A WORK OF ART IS TO BE EXPERIENCED LIKE A PIECE OF NATURE. ONE CAN EXPERIENCE A WORK OF ART, AS ONE WOULD EXPERIENCE A WALK THROUGH THE WOODS, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND GLEAN SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT FROM THE EXPERIENCE EACH TIME. IF ONE GOES INTO THE WOODS EXPECTING THE WOODS TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY WITH THEM, THEN THAT PERSON WILL BE VERY DISAPPOINTED, AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR A PERSON WALKING INTO AN ART GALLERY SEEKING DIRECT COMMUNICATION. 

DIRECT COMMUNICATION IS GOOD, AND IT IS VALUABLE. ART AND NATURE WOULD BE GREAT IF THEY COULD TAKE ALL THE GRAND UNEXPLAINABLE CONCEPTS AND SYMBOLS WITH WHICH THEY SPEAK, AND CONSTRUCT A SINGULAR, DIRECT, AND CLEAR STATEMENT, AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, ADVERTISING IS NOT BAD BECAUSE IT COMMUNICATES IN SUCH A DIRECT WAY. THE PROBLEM THEN, IS THAT ADVERTISING, A FORM OF COMMUNICATION THAT COULD BENEFIT GREATLY FROM THE REPEATED VIEWINGS AND UNENDING DEPTH THAT NATURE AND ART ALLOW, DOES NOT LEAVE EVEN A SLIGHTEST BIT OF COMMUNICATION FOR THE VIEWER TO INTERPRET. 

WHEN A PIECE OF COMMUNICATION IS NOT ENTIRELY DIRECT, THERE ARE PARTS OF IT THAT THE VIEWER CAN INTERPRET ON THEIR OWN. THIS INVOLVES PEOPLE ON A DEEPER LEVEL EMOTIONALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY BECAUSE THEY ARE INTERPRETING A PIECE OF COMMUNICATION WITH THEIR INTELLECT AND THEIR EMOTIONS. THIS GIVES PEOPLE A REASON TO LOOK AT IT AGAIN BECAUSE THERE IS NO DIRECT ANSWER, AND THEREFORE THERE IS AN INFINITE WEALTH OF ANSWERS. THIS GIVES PEOPLE A REASON TO LOOK CLOSER BECAUSE THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO INTERPRET AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO INTERPRET IT. 

IF A PERSON WERE TO WALK INTO A GALLERY AND RECEIVE A DIRECT AND CLEAR CUT MESSAGE FROM EACH WORK OF ART IN THE SAME WAY THAT A PERSON RECEIVES A DIRECT AND CLEAR CUT MESSAGE FROM WORKS OF ADVERTISEMENT, THAT PERSON WOULD WALK IN THE GALLERY, GATHER THE INFORMATION, AND LEAVE. THAT PERSON WOULD NOT STAY TO LOOK AT ANYTHING FOR MORE THAN A SECOND BECAUSE ONCE THE MAIN POINT OF THE PIECE HAS BEEN EXHAUSTED THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO GAIN FROM IT, AND THEREFORE IT DIES. IT BECOMES USELESS. BUT, IF A PERSON WERE TO FLIP THROUGH A MAGAZINE AND SEE AN AD THAT COMMUNICATED BOTH DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY, THEY COULD LOOK AT THAT PIECE OF COMMUNICATION, RECEIVE A DIRECT AND CLEAR CUT MESSAGE, THEN CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE THE REST OF THE PIECE LONG AFTER THE MAIN MESSAGE HAS BEEN COMMUNICATED. 

THIS IS NOT THE MOST IDEAL WAY. OF COURSE, IF A PIECE OF COMMUNICATION HAS BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT COMPONENTS, THE DIRECT COMPONENT WILL BE SEEN AND UNDERSTOOD, THEN, FROM THAT MOMENT ON, WHILE THE VIEWER IS INTERPRETING AND EXPERIENCING THE REST OF THE PIECE, THAT PIECE OF CLEAR CUT COMMUNICATION WILL SIT THERE LIKE A DEAD SLAB OF DRIED MEAT. IT WILL NO LONGER HAVE ANY VALUE TO THE VIEWER BECAUSE IT’S BEEN UNDERSTOOD. IDEALLY, THE ENTIRE PIECE OF COMMUNICATION IS INDIRECT, WHETHER IN ADVERTISING OR IN ART. THE MORE INDIRECT A PIECE IS, THE MORE INTRIGUING IT IS. ONCE IT’S TOTALLY FIGURED OUT, IT LOSES IT’S ALLURE, AND IN ADVERTISING, A BUSINESS WHERE ALLURING CUSTOMERS IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL, THE ALLURING VALUES OF INDIRECT COMMUNICATION SHOULD BE USED. 

THERE IS AN INNATE HUMAN NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING, YET THERE IS A LOVE FOR THE UNKNOWN. THIS PERVADES ALL OF US, AND IT IS A REASON WHY ART IS SEEN AS A PINNACLE OF HUMAN ACHIEVEMENT WHILE IT SIMULTANEOUSLY PISSES SO MANY PEOPLE OFF. ART IS A REFLECTION OF NATURE, AND IN THAT WAY IT WORKS LIKE NATURE. IT DOES NOT COMMUNICATE BY MAKING DIRECT POINTS. IT COMMUNICATES BY THE FACT THAT THE TREES AND EVERYTHING IN THE FOREST IS A SYMBOL FOR SOMETHING. EACH PIECE REPRESENTS SOMETHING DIFFERENT, A BROKEN BOUGH SYMBOLIZING SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF A FLOWERING BLOSSOMING OUT FROM UNDERNEATH A THICK ROOT. THE THICK FLOWER BLOSSOMING OUT FROM UNDER A THICK ROOT DOES NOT DIRECTLY SAY, “YOU CAN THRIVE EVEN IF THERES SOMETHING IN YOUR WAY, “ BUT IT COMMUNICATES THIS SENTIMENT NONETHELESS. AND FURTHERMORE, BECAUSE IT COMMUNICATES ITS POINT INDIRECTLY, IT LETS THE VIEWER INTERPRET IT IN THEIR OWN WAY. IT MAY BE A MESSAGE OF HOPE ONE DAY, AND A REMINDER OF FEAR THE NEXT. IN THIS WAY, ART AND NATURE, IN USING SYMBOLS, ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE SOMETHING UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC TO EACH PERSON BY COMMUNICATING SOMETHING IN A WAY THAT MIXES A PERSONS REACTION WITH THE CONCRETE MEANINGS OF THE SYMBOL. 

INDIRECT COMMUNICATION IS NOT JUST AN INK BLOT TEST, SHOWING YOU A RANDOM THING AND ASKING YOU TO TELL YOURSELF WHAT YOU SEE IN IT AS A WAY OF HELPING YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU SEE IN YOURSELF. NO, THE INDIRECT COMMUNICATION OF ART AND NATURE IS INDIRECT, BUT IT IS STILL COMMUNICATING A SPECIFIC THING. FOR EXAMPLE, IN A PAINTING OF SUNFLOWERS DONE BY VAN GOGH, THERE IS NO SENTENCE THAT SUMS UP AND COMMUNICATES EVERYTHING VAN GOGH WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE WHEN HE CREATED THE PAINTING. WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE COULD NOT BE SUMMED UP AT ALL, YET IT IS STILL A VERY SPECIFIC THING THAT HE IS COMMUNICATING. AND, WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE IN A PAINTING OF SUNFLOWERS WAS NOT THE SAME AS WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE IN A PAINTING OF A STARRY NIGHT. NEITHER PAINTING COMMUNICATES DIRECTLY, YET BOTH PAINTINGS COMMUNICATE SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC AND UNIQUE. 

IN ADVERTISING THIS CAN BE DONE. IT MAY SEEM, AT THIS POINT IN CONTEMPORARY ADVERTISING THAT AN ADVERTISEMENT IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT UNLESS IT DISSEMINATES A PIECE OF EXTREMELY LINGUISTICAL INFORMATION QUICKLY AND DIRECTLY, BUT THAT IS JUST ONE WAY IN. TO SELL A SPEAKER THAT CAN MAKE NOISE UNDERWATER, ONE COULD SAY THAT LINE DIRECTLY, ONE COULD USE WORD PLAY AND SAY “MAKE WAVES”, AS IN WATER WAVES AND SOUND WAVES, OR ONE COULD JUST TAKE WORDS AND SYMBOLS THAT RELATE TO SPEAKER LIKE SOUND WAVES, MUSIC, BEATS, THUMP, ETC. AND MIX IT UP WITH WORDS AND SYMBOLS THAT RELATE TO WATER, LIKE FLUID, LIQUID, AQUA, AGUA, BEACH, POND, LAKE, ETC., IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALLOWS THE CONVERGENCE OF SPEAKERS AND WATER TO COMMUNICATED WITHOUT DIRECTLY COMMUNICATING, AND THEREFORE SETTING UP TO DIE, THE POINT THAT THE SPEAKERS WORK UNDERWATER. 

IT MAY SEEM LIKE THERE IS NO POINT IN TAKING A DIRECT PIECE OF COMMUNICATION AND MAKING IT INDIRECT. IT MAY SEEM LIKE IT’S JUST TAKING A GOOD OLD PIECE OF CLEAR COMMUNICATION AND MUDDYING IT UP WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF NONSENSE, BUT IF ONE CAN SEE THAT INDIRECT COMMUNICATION CAN STILL COMMUNICATE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED, THEN ONE WILL SEE THAT YOU DON’T NEED TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY TO MAKE A POINT, AND FURTHERMORE, IF YOU MAKE YOUR POINT USING INDIRECT COMMUNICATION PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, EACH TIME IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY, GETTING MORE EMOTIONALLY AND INTELLECTUALLY INVOLVED, WHILE ALSO LOOKING CLOSER BECAUSE THE DETAILS HOLD MORE COMMUNICATION IN THEIR OPEN INDIRECTNESS. IT’S KIND OF LIKE WRITING AN OVERLY COMPLEX ESSAY TO COMMUNICATE HOW LOFTY OF A THINKER I AM. 

THE UNINTELLIGIBLE MESSAGE IN A WORK BY PICASSO

IN PICASSO’S PAINTINGS HE IS SO GREAT BECAUSE HE CAPTURES HUMAN FEELINGS AND COMMUNICATES THEM. IT THEREFORE DOESN’T NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD ON A LOGICAL LEVEL. THERE IS NOT A VERBAL POINT TO BE MADE, SO A LINE OF UNDERSTANDING DOESN’T HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED TO RECEIVE WHAT THE WORK OF ART IS COMMUNICATING. IN ADVERTISING, THERE IS OFTEN A LINE OF LOGICAL THINKING, LIKE A SENTENCE, THAT MUST BE FOLLOWED AND COMPREHENDED, WORD FOR WORD AND MOMENT ON TOP OF MOMENT, TO GET THE FULL UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED. BUT, IF WHAT WAS BEING COMMUNICATED WAS JUST THE FEELING OF THE EXPERIENCE OF SOMETHING, THEN THERE IS NO NEED FOR A LOGICAL LINE OF UNDERSTANDING. IT CAN BE AN ABSTRACT RADIO SPOT, IMAGE OR SHORT FILM, OR ANYTHING, AND WHETHER A PERSON PAYS CLOSE ATTENTION AND WATCHES THE WHOLE THING, OR GLANCES FOR A MOMENT HALF PAYING ATTENTION AND HALF DOING SOMETHING ELSE, THE FEELING IS COMMUNICATED. IT IS LIKE COLD WEATHER. ONE DOES NOT HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COLDNESS IS BEFORE GETTING THE EXPERIENCE OF THE COLD, AND ONE CAN STEP OUTSIDE FOR A SECOND AND FEEL IT. IT IS DOES NOT TAKE TIME TO RECEIVE THE INFORMATION THAT IT IS COLD. LIKEWISE, IN ADVERTISING, IF A FEELING, OR MORE SPECIFICALLY,  THE PEAK FEELING OF EXPERIENCING THE PRODUCT, IS WHAT IS BEING COMMUNICATED THROUGH THE SPOT, THEN ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT EVERYTHING IN THE SPOT EXUDES THAT FEELING. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF IT’S IN ANY SORT OF LOGICAL ORDER. THEN, WHEN THE FEELING IS PAIRED WITH THE LOGO, THE VIEWER CATEGORIZES THAT FEELING WITH THAT IMAGE. IT IS JUST ABOUT CAPTURING THE BEST POSSIBLE EXPERIENTIAL FEELING OF THE PRODUCT AND COMMUNICATING IT SO THAT FEELING IS THEN ENTERED INTO THE COMPENDIUM OF FEELING THAT THE LOGO HOLDS. AND THAT MAY BE WHAT ART IS. ART MAY BE THE COMMUNICATION OF EXPERIENCES IN LIFE. WHETHER ITS A PICASSO PAINTING THAT CAPTURES WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE HAPPY IN A STUDIO OR A SHORT FILM THAT CAPTURE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO FEEL YOUR BUTT CHEEK PINCHED BY YOUR BEAUTIFUL GIRLFRIEND THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH BUT SHE ONLY LOVES YOU A BIT. IT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT HAS TO MAKE SENSE IN TERMS OF A LINE OF UNDERSTANDING, BECAUSE IT’S NOT COMMUNICATING A STATEMENT. IT’S COMMUNICATING A FEELING AND THAT FEELING THEN BECOMES A PART OF THE BRAND NAME/LOGO, AND THEN FROM THEN ON, EVERYTHING THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT LOGO/NAME BECOMES FILLED WITH ALL OF THE FEELINGS THAT HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH IT. ARTISTS NAMES WORK THE SAME WAY. WHICH IS WHY WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT AN ARTISTS NAME THEY GET A FEELING THAT FEELS GOOD AND THEY THEREFORE ASSUME THAT THE WORK IS GOOD. IT FEELS LIKE EVERYTHING THAT THEY’VE EVER EXPERIENCED FROM THAT NAME. THE SAME THING OCCURS WITH PEOPLE. A NAME AND A FACE. IF AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN WITH THAT NAME AND THAT FACE THEN WHENEVER THAT NAME OR THAT FACE IS SEEN OR HEARD THOSE FEELINGS ARE FELT ALL AT ONCE, ONCE AGAIN. OF COURSE THERE MAY BE BAD FEELINGS, BUT THE MORE POTENT THE MORE EQUITY IT HOLDS IN THE PERSONS MIND/HEART, AND THE MORE OFTEN THE BETTER. LIKE A FATHER AND HIS SON. SEEING HIS SONS FACE AND GIVING HIM HIS NAME. THAT IS SUCH A MASSIVE EXPERIENCE THAT FOREVER FROM THAT POINT ON THAT FACE AND NAME WILL CARRY A FEELING OF IMMENSE MAGNITUDE. EVEN IF THAT CHILD CRACKS THE FATHER’S FAVORITE COFFEE CUP. EVEN IF THAT CHILD GROWS UP TO BEAT A WOMAN AND END UP IN JAIL FOR SELLING DRUGS, IT WILL ALWAYS MAINTAIN THE IMMENSE FEELING OF NEWBORN LIFE AND GODLIKE LIFE GIVING POWER THAT THE FATHER FELT WHEN HE HELD HIS CHILD AND SAW HIS CHILD’S FACE FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE GREATNESS OF THAT INITIAL MOMENT IS GREAT AND THEREFORE HARD TO OUTWEIGH, BUT IF TOO MANY BAD THINGS BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH THAT NAME AND FACE FOR THE FATHER, THERE WILL COME A POINT WHEN THE BAD OUT WEIGHS THE GOOD AND THE FATHER IS FILLED WITH NEGATIVE FEELINGS WHEN SEEING THE FACE OF HIS SON. GAS COMPANIES THAT RUIN THE WORLD ARE IN A SIMILAR SITUATION WHERE THEY HAVE HELPED PEOPLE SO MUCH OVER THE YEARS. THEY’VE GOTTEN PEOPLE PLACES AND CHANGED THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE OF THE WORLD BY HELPING PEOPLE TRAVEL AND SEE MORE AND DO MORE. THAT IS A FEELING ASSOCIATED WITH THE GAS COMPANIES, BUT IT IS ALMOST OUTWEIGHED, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT GLOBAL WARMING APPROACHES, BY THE FACT THAT GAS COMPANIES ARE DESTROYING THE WORLD THAT THEY ONCE HELPED PEOPLE TRAVEL IN. SOME GAS COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THEIR IMAGE BY MAKING COMMERCIALS THAT SHOW THE  WORLD A FUN AND BOUNCY EXPERIENCE, OR AN IDYLLIC WORLD, BUT THERE IS A KNOT THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE CANNOT BE FOOLED SO EASILY. IF GAS IS DESTROYING THE WORLD, THEN JUST MAKING A FEW COMMERCIALS THAT ASSOCIATE LIFE GIVING THINGS WITH THE LOGO IS A LIE. IT MAY CAPTURE PERFECTLY THE FEELING OF A LIFE-GIVING MOMENT, BUT IT IS NOT BIG OR TRUE ENOUGH TO OUTWEIGH THE TERROR OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND OIL SPILLS. THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO SOMETHING SO GOOD FOR THE WORLD THAT IT RIVALS THE BADNESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE WITH GOODNESS, OR MAKE SO MANY SMALL COMMERCIALS THAT PUMP GOOD FEELING AND THOUGHTS AND BEAUTY INTO THE WORLD THAT THAT THE BALANCE OF BAD FEELING ASSOCIATIONS WITH GOOD FEELING ASSOCIATIONS LEAVES THE GOOD OUTWEIGHING THE BAD. 

WHEN A BRAND IS WORKING TO SELL A PERSON WITH A FEELING INSTEAD OF A LOGICAL ARGUMENT, THERE ARE MANY ADVANTAGES. 

IF YOU POSITION COMPANIES VIA FEELINGS IT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCE LIFE VIA POSITIONED FEELINGS ALREADY. WHEN I LIKE JIM IT’S BECAUSE I LIKE THE FEELING OF BEING WITH JIM . THE SAME CAN BE SAID FOR BRANDS AND THE FEELING OF RECOGNITION WHEN SEEING THE BRAND IN REAL LIFE. FOR EXAMPLE, I LIKE DRINKING PERRIER WATER BECAUSE OVERTIME I SIP IT I FEEL A BEAUTIFUL EVEN IN PARIS. I FEEL THE LUXURIOUS DREAM OF PARISIAN LIFE THAT PERRIER EXUDES, AND THAT FEELING IS PART OF THE DRINK.  THE WORLD IS SIMPLY A MAP OF FEELINGS. HOW DO I FEEL IN MY APARTMENT ON SUNDAY, HOW DO I FEEL AT STARBUCKS, HOW DO I FEEL DRINKING A COFFEE. WHENEVER I WANT TO EAT SOMETHING I IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD FEEL LIKE TO EAT IT, AND IF I AM THINKING OF EATING DOMINO’S PIZZA MY FEELINGS OF EATING DOMINO’S PIZZA ARE NOT ONLY MY OWN, THEY ARE ALSO THE FEELINGS I FELT WHEN WATCHING DOMINO’S’ COMMERCIALS. IN THIS WAY, EVERY BRAND DOES NOT HOLD A LOGICAL POSITION IN A PERSONS MIND. LIKE IT IS NOT SMART WATER IS SMARTER, VITAMIN WATER IS HEALTHIER. POLAND SPRINGS WATER IS FROM THE BEST SPRINGS. IT IS, SMART WATER FEELS LIKE X, VITAMIN WATER FEELS LIKE Y, AND POLAND SPRINGS FEELS LIKE Z.

A BRAND DOESN'T HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE COMMUNICATION OF A SINGLE FEELING EITHER, WHEREAS LOGICAL POSITION MEANS A BRAND HAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THAT LOGICAL POINT. LIKE A PERSON, A BRAND CAN AROUSE A WHOLE BUNCH OF FEELINGS AND IT IS THE CULMINATION OF ALL THE FEELINGS THAT MAKES UP THE POSITION OF FEELING THAT ONE KEEPS IN THEIR MIND FOR EACH BRAND. FOR EXAMPLE, I CAN BE ONE WAY FOR FOUR YEARS AND CHANGE OUT OF THE BLUE TO BE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERSON, OR I CAN ACT IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WAYS ALL IN ONE DAY, SAD AND BLUESY IN THE MORNING THEN HAPPY AND FUNNY AT LUNCH THEN COMPLEX AND ANALYTICAL AT NIGHT. OR, IN THE SPACE OF TWO MINUTES I CAN BE RIDICULOUSLY FUNNY THEN SOMBER SERIOUS, THEN A SECOND LATER; HOPEFUL, SWITCHING ON THE DROP OF A DIME. ALL THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS THAT, HOWEVER THE BRAND IS ACTING, IT IS AS BEAUTIFUL AND VALUABLE TO BE AROUND AS POSSIBLE. 

FEELING ALSO ALLOWS FOR MUCH EASIER SPACE OCCUPANCY IN ONES MIND. THESE ARE THE FEELINGS OF THIS BRAND, THESE ARE THE FEELINGS OF THAT BRAND. LIKE PEOPLE THE ARRAY OF SPACE OCCUPANCIES BASED ON FEELING ARE SOLID IN THE POSITIONS, EACH PERSON EVOKES A UNIQUE FEELING, JUST LIKE EVERY ARTIST, EVEN IF THEY DO DIFFERENT STYLES OF WORK, EVOKES A UNIQUE SET OF FEELINGS. IN THIS WAY, IT IS MUCH EASIER TO OWN A UNIQUE PLACE IN ONE’S MIND. IT’S LIKE A HOUSE. LOGICALLY THERE ARE FIVE ROOMS. EMOTIONALLY THERE IS AN INFINITE AMOUNT OF ROOMS. SUNDAY LIBRARY AND MONDAY LIBRARY ARE DIFFERENT. SUNDAY MORNING AND SUNDAY EVENING LIBRARY ARE DIFFERENT. ETC.  

IN TERMS IF CREATING AN INTEGRATED CAMPAIGN, HAVING THE CONSISTENCY IN MESSAGING THAT FURTHER DRIVES HOME THE MESSAGE CAN BE HELD TOGETHER PURELY BY FEELING INSTEAD OF A CONCRETE LOGICAL POSITIONING.

BUT MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING IN THE EFFORT TO MAKE ADVERTISING ART IS THAT BY MAKING FEELING THE MOST IMPORTANT, NUMBER ONE, PRIMARY FOCUS OF EVERY CAMPAIGN THERE IS NO LONGER A NEED FOR THE VIEWER TO MAKE ANY EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. A CLEVER HEADLINE TAKES THOUGHT. IT DEMANDS THE VIEWERS EFFORT, NOT ONLY TO GET THE CLEVERNESS, BUT TO ALSO UNDERSTAND THE SELLING POINT WHILE WORKING TO UNDERSTAND THE CLEVERNESS. 

I DO NOT BELIEVE SELLING ARGUMENTS CAN OR SHOULD BE LOGICAL UNLESS THEY ARE TRULY BETTER FOR AN UNDENIABLE REASON, AND IN THIS AGE OF MARKETING, NOTHING IS LOGICALLY BETTER. THIS IS NOT A BUSINESS OF CONVINCING PEOPLE OF LOGICAL REASONS TO BUY BECAUSE THERE ARE NONE. BRAND DIFFERENTIATING STILL COMES DOWN TO POSITIONING, BUT POSITIONING SHOULD BE SOLELY A MATTER OF FEELING, OTHERWISE IT’S CONVINCING A PERSON OF A FALSELY LOGICAL SELLING POINT THAT LIES TO BE LOGICAL EVEN THOUGH IT ISN’T 

I DON’T THINK ALL LOGICAL STATEMENTS SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN AWAY FROM ADS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE FADED OUT. IF IT IS IMMEDIATELY PURE FEELING THE ABSTRACTION WOULD LEAVE PEOPLE CONFUSED AND ANGRY THE SAME WAY THEY ARE ANGRY WHEN THEY CAN’T UNDERSTAND AN ABSTRACT WORK OF ART, BUT WHEN PEOPLE DON’T EXPECT MEANING AND THEY UNDERSTAND THAT A PIECE OF COMMUNICATION CAN BE RECEIVED LIKE FEELING OF A WALK THROUGH A GARDEN, THE ADVERTISING THAT FILLS ALL OF OUR LIVES WILL BE FULL OF GREAT FEELINGS INSTEAD OF MANIPULATIVE AND WEAK ARGUMENTS OF LOGIC. 

THERE CAN ALSO BE MULTIPLE SELLING POINTS MADE IN ONE AD WHEN COMMUNICATING SOLELY WITH FEELING BECAUSE YOU CAN COMMUNICATE MULTIPLE FEELINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY. IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SEE YOUR AIRPLANE  BRAND AS SMOOTH, FLUID, VIBRANT, AND FUN YOU CAN COMMUNICATE ALL OF THOSE FEELINGS INSTEAD OF COMMUNICATING THEM WITH LOGICAL ARGUMENTS. THAT WAY PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO PAY FULL ATTENTION TO GET THE MESSAGING AND THEY CAN ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF IT, THEN DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES, WITH THEIR LOGIC BEING MANIPULATED, WHETHER THAT IS A FEELING THEY WANT OR NOT, AND OF COURSE, IF THE AD WORKS, AND IT PRODUCED A MAGNIFICENT FEELING IN EVERYONE THAT SEES IT PEOPLE WON’T BE ABLE TO NOT WANT IT. 

PARAMETRACISM THROUGH THE LENS OF ADVERTISING

THE ABSOLUTELY AWESOME AND RIDICULOUSLY AMAZING ARCHITECTURE FIRM, ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS, USES SOMETHING CALLED PARAMETRACISM TO BUILD BUILDINGS. PARAMETRICISM ALLOWS FOR THE HAND OF GOD TO RETURN TO CREATIONS MADE WITH COMPUTERS BY ALLOWING THE COMPUTER TO ACT LIKE NATURE IN THE CREATION OF SHAPES. FOR EXAMPLE, IMAGINE THE CROWN OF WATER THAT RAISES UP WHEN A WATER DROPLET HITS A FLAT SURFACE OF WATER. THEN IMAGINE SHIFTING THIS SHAPE FORWARD AND BACK AND UP AND DOWN. IT IS CREATION, BUT THE FOUNDATION OF IT IS NATURE AND CHANCE. ZAHA DISCOVERS SHAPES, MEANING AND VALUES FROM THIS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED OTHERWISE. IT IS SIMILAR TO PAINTING. IN A PAINTING THE PAINT CAN NEVER BE ENTIRELY CONTROLLED. WHENEVER A BRUSH STROKE IS MADE THERE ARE AN INFINITE NUMBER OF DETAILS THAT APPEAR IN THAT LINE, BUT IN PAINTING, THE NATURE MADE DETAILS CANNOT BE CONTROLLED AND SHIFTED THEN RE-NATURIFIED REPEATEDLY. 

IN ADVERTISING, THE HAND OF GOD, I.E. THE WONDERFUL DETAILS AND BEAUTY FOUND IN RANDOMNESS AND CHANCE, WAS PHASED OUT WHEN COMPUTERS OVERTOOK BILLBOARD DPAINTERS, AND THE MOUSE BECAME THE BRUSH BECAUSE THE COMPUTER COULD PRODUCE THINGS THAT COULD BE REPRODUCED INFINITELY WITHOUT A SINGLE LINE BEING OUT OF LINE, AND THIS MAKES SENSE BECAUSE AD PAINTERS WERE PAID TO MAKE PAINTINGS LOOK AS IF THEY WERE PERFECT. ANY DRIP OF PAINTING THAT FELL OUT OF LINE HAD TO BE RAPAIRED. THE RANDOMNESS OF NATURE WAS NOT HONORED AND HONED, BUT HIDDEN AND AVOIDED. BUT PAINTING AS AN ART HAS ADVANCED BEYOND THE RENAISSANCE TIMES WHEN PHOTOGRAPHIC PERFECTION WAS THE GOAL. IT HAS EVOLVED TO PROVE HOW BEAUTIFUL AND INFORMATIONALLY POTENT THE STRAY LINES AND DRIPS OF GOD’S HAND CAN BE. NOWADAYS, TO USE ACTUAL PAINT IN A PIECE OF ADVERTISING WOULD BE A HARD AND EXPENSIVE TO REPRODUCE, SO IT MAY NOT BE THE BEST WAY TO BRING THE INFINITY OF DETAIL THAT EVERY BRUSH STROKE CREATES TO EACH AND EVERY PRINTING OF AN AD, BUT PARAMETRICISM ALLOWS THAT INFINITY OF DETAIL CREATED BY CHANCE TO FIT INTO THE LEXICON OF VISUALS THAT CAN BE REPRODUCED OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH A COMPUTER. IT BRINGS TOGETHER THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. IT BRINGS THE POTENCY OF THE NATURE MADE DETAILS INTO THE CONTROLLED CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATION. 

IMAGINE, IF EVERY PRINT AD WAS SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT IN THE SAME WAY THAT EVERY PAINTING, EVEN IF MULTIPLE PAINTERS ARE WORKING TO PORTRAY THE SAME IMAGE, IS DIFFERENT, AND IMAGINE IF, EVEN THOUGH EVERY IMAGE WAS DIFFERENT, THEY COULD STILL ACHIEVE THE SAME COMMUNICATION GOAL WITHOUT BEING EXACTLY IDENTICAL. 

THIS WOULD BE AMAZING. EVERY AD WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THE LAST, AND THEREFORE WORTH VIEWING OVER AND OVER AGAIN. BUT, IN ADDITION TO THE AWESOMENESS OF HAVING ONE AD LOOK AN INFINITE NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS WITHOUT LOSING IT’S STRUCTURE AS ONE SINGLE AD COMMUNICATING ONE MESSAGE, THERE IS THE BEAUTY AND LAYERING THAT COMES WITH THE INFINITUM OF UNIQUE NATURE-LIKE DETAILS THAT PARAMETRICISM CREATES. ONE COULD EXAMINE AN AD UP CLOSE TO SEE ALL OF THE DETAILS IN THE SAME WAY THAT ONE CAN LOOK AT A TREE AND SEE ALL OF THE INFINITE DETAILS IN THE TREE, AND IN THE BRANCHES AND IN THE LEAVES AND IN CELLS, ETC. ADS WOULD NO LONGER BE THESE SINGULAR IMAGES REPRODUCED LIKE CLONES, THEY WOULD BE THESE UNIQUE VISUAL FEASTS WHERE A CREATIVE INPUTS EVERYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO BE IN THE AD, THEN LETS THE PARAMETRIC SOFTWARE COMMUNICATE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE COMMUNICATED IN AN INFINITE VARIETY OF UNIQUE WAYS. AND THIS CAN OCCUR WITH WORDS AS WELL. A CREATIVE COULD INPUT THAT A CAR IS FAST AND BEAUTIFUL, AND A PARAMETRIC SOFTWARE COULD CONJURE UP EVERY WORK OF POETRY, LITERATURE, ANYTHING, THAT SPEAKS ABOUT AND COMMUNICATES SPEED AND BEAUTY THEN MIX IT UP AND REPRODUCE IT IN AN INFINITE NUMBER OF INFINITELY DETAILED WAYS.