Tats Cru Creates Second Hummer Graffiti Mural

hummer_h3_1_small.jpg
Three Days to Defacement

In early June, professional graffiti artists Tats Cru created a mural for the new Hummer H3. Not long after it's creation, it was defaced as is standard practice when corporations usurp what is believed by many to be a non-commercial art form. Today, our pavement pounding press persona, Bucky Turco, stumbled upon another Tats Cru-created Hummer H3 mural on East 18th and First Avenue in Manhattan. Acknowledging the create/destruct relationship between cool-hunting corporations and graffiti purists, Turco said, "I give it a shelf life of under 3 days before it is defaced."

It's natural for graffiti purists to wash away corporate intrusion on their turf. However, it's going to be in interesting battle as more and more companies, such as Time, purchase space for commercial graffiti artists to tag. It's on thing to deface unappealing corporate graffiti on random,. unpaid surfaces. It's another to deface paid space. View three large images of the mural here.

by Steve Hall    Jun-29-05   Click to Comment   
Topic: Outdoor   

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Comments



Comments

It's on thing to deface unappealing corporate graffiti on random,. unpaid surfaces. It's another to deface paid space.

I know this is a site that's focused on traditional media, but this is a little myopic. Every surface is 'paid for' in some sense - a much stronger, physical sense than if you'd consider it simply as advertisement space, imo.

Posted by: Peter on June 29, 2005 10:46 AM

If I take your point correctly, I could agree with that, Peter, in one sense. Public space is paid for by tax dollar' etc. I can understand why some wouldn't not want that public space covered with anything. Would you not agree that there should be some delineation between paid ad space and tax-paid public space? If not, we're looking at a free for all. In a capitalistic society, where there are eyes, there will be ads. Many of us hate that but if you have a solution where for profit companies can make a go of it without communicating with potential customers, I'd love to hear it.

Posted by: Steve Hall on June 29, 2005 10:54 AM

I was alluding to the idea that graffiti artists have a little more flexible view of space. People payed for that building to be put up at one point in time, and if they sell any amount of surface area for ad space at another point in time that's entirely ancillary. Assuming it's more damaging vandalism simply because it was on a surface area that was rented (X amount of space for X amount of time) for advertising purposes is not something I agree with. The people who paid for the advertisement are the ones it effects, on either space (paid or public).

Posted by: Peter on June 29, 2005 11:18 AM

When all is said and done, there are five pictures of an H3 ad on this website. The campaign is working.

Posted by: a35mmlife on June 29, 2005 1:03 PM

Don't you think thats an oversimplification 35mm? I mean how many consumers puruse through the site? It's working getting on marketing blogs but there is a whole other reality out there as well.

Posted by: bucky on June 29, 2005 1:23 PM

Agreed, Bucky. While we love to believe the entire world reads Adrants, only 30,000 or so do each day. And many of the readers work in advertising. When this sort of story pops on, say, The New York Times, then I'd tend to agree with your point a bit more.

Posted by: Steve Hall on June 29, 2005 1:44 PM

One URL: http://fuh2.com

Posted by: WinkJunior on June 29, 2005 2:08 PM

Or might you be underestimating both the marketing team behind Hummer's campaign and the value of creating a dialogue [be it positive or negative] within the 'tastemaker' community.

They are reaching both consumer eyeballs on the street and the talking heads of media makers online. Not to burst your bubble guys but as much as I have come to love this site, it isn't the only site covering this sordid affair. I'd also point to a similar graff ad for AXE last month that even got regional TV and print coverage last month...

Marketing is the new box office. Ten years ago films would be released and only industry execs knew/cared how much the films made or lost. Then about five years ago the public started taking interest and B.O. results began being published in every publication you can imagine. Now, I am new to this game, but it feels to me like marketing campaigns are heading that direction as well. There is a broader public discourse over campaigns. I find that many more 'consumers' are hypersensitive of marketing efforts online and offline.

Plus... if 30K a day translates to just one car sale or just one marketing company contacting Hummer with a 'better' idea, then the campaing was a success. You knooow the TAT's crew didn't get paid thaaaat much...

Posted by: a35mmlife on June 29, 2005 8:54 PM

Boring! What about the fact that graffitti is insanely played out. Art of the streets. Hip Hop. Gay gay everythings gay.

Posted by: j on June 30, 2005 10:29 AM

They sold out.

Posted by: thayer on July 4, 2005 12:57 PM