Coldplay could get into trouble for 'reverse graffiti'
(Click the photo to see this naughty clean-up project)
We've talked about green graffiti. Now get ready for "reverse graffiti" or 'clean tagging'. Popularized by British artist Paul Curtis, the idea is to stencil what you want to say by pressure-washing onto dirty cement. Sounds like a great idea. I mean, how can you get in trouble for actually cleaning the sidewalks?
Some rogue advertising using this reverse graffiti could get Coldplay and a Canadian cell phone company in a bit of trouble from Montreal authorities. The name of Coldplay's latest album, Viva la Vida, has been washed into sidewalks around the city and a Canadian cell phone company has used reverse graffiti to promote cell phone recylcing.
They could get fined about $200 for ignoring a rule about advertising on public property, and could get up to about $1000 for ironically breaking a cleanliness bylaw, even though the graffiti is cleaner that what was originally there. I'm guessing the fines are not going to hit either pocket very hard.
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The cell phone company has decided to stop the practice and stick to less problematic advertising. No word on whether Coldplay wants to continue the pressure washing.
To remove the 'graffiti' the city could either wait until the cement gets grimed up again or try to pressure wash the whole thing. Either way, this method of advertising, particularly for green-conscious messages, could start springing up more and more. A huge mural in the San Francisco was recently commissioned by the green wing of the cleaning product company Clorox.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-12-2008 @ 11:54AM
Kai said...
THis is greener than spray paint, but this is still a waste of water. There are water shortages all over the world, I dont think marketing/advertising is a 'green' use of this resource.
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8-13-2008 @ 8:48AM
Beth said...
That is ridiculous! Go after the real criminals. There is so much real crime that "hurts"...this is victimless. I make an effort to reduce my carbon footprint. I use a reuseable tote at the supermarket and shop mostly online. I shop online to save money on gas, use less gas and save money period. I shop at all my favorite stores through an online website that gives me the unpublished codes at about 300 stores (including Target, The Gap, Best Buy, Old Navy, Drugstore.com, etc) as well as giving me between 5 and 50% back in cash on my purchases. The site is http://www.fatcrumbs.com I am being good to the environment and great to my wallet.
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8-13-2008 @ 8:48AM
Kim said...
What this man has done he should be commended for his efforts in CLEANING up the city, not another innocent person going to jail for what, being a good person. My question for the system is "Why didn't you think of this yourself." What a fantastic idea, please come to Chicago and show us your ARTof stencil power spraying, we need it real bad!!!!!!!!!!
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