Art vs Advertising. Are they really all that different?

As someone who has spent a good part of his life trying to bridge the thin line between Art (yes that's a capitol A) and Advertising, I've found that the line is increasingly fuzzy lately. Maybe it's always been that way...could just be my eyes now that I've crossed over the midway point in life :)

But I guess what I'm getting at is that what I've always thought of Art as is something influenced by "the muse" and a personal expression of the artists viewpoint, purely for the intention of inspiring. As I so childishly thought, money was never supposed to be a factor. And on the flip side of the coin, Advertising is artistic representation developed with a specific purpose, to make money for the person paying you to do so as the artist. Simply put, Advertising is having a "hook" while Art is an expression.

But what I have been seeing lately is that the "hook" has become the expression. Take for instance nobilified.com – it's a website that lets you put your mugshot into a musty old school portrait. Genius. It's Art, but also advertising for our ever burgeoning egos. The "hook" is offering something old to our new on-demand needs.

And on the flip side of the coin, there's Marcey Hawk – she creates boobie art.

It's definitely Art with a capitol A, and is genuinely a personal expression. GENIUS. Seriously...do you need me to point out what the obvious ad hook is here? It is instantly attractive to anyone who objectifies tittles. Just using the term "titties" objectifies tittles for gods sake! 

Even though you really would never know that this Art was created with mammary glands, just knowing it makes you want to see it and potentially purchase it, if nothing more than just to know it's within hands reach. Yes, I couldn't resist that either :)

As I start to think about it more, I wonder if it's really a blurring of a dividing line, or rather a mashup or melding of 2 great tastes that taste great together? Whatever the result, I know for some inexplicable reason I want more of it, especially because that's not all! If I act within the next 10 minutes I could get double my satisfaction!

I just couldn't help myself :)

Interactive. I do not think it means what you think it means.

I started in the creative industry back in the 90's when and "interactive" was quickly becoming a big buzz word associated with the emerging digital space. It quickly became all about websites, and gratuitous. It was all about brands saying how awesome they were just in a different way. That's all changing again, so I thought it appropriate to steal a line from one of my favorite movie characters of all time, Inigo Montoya, to comment on how people refer to "INTERACTIVE".

Interactive is a term was around for a long time before digital devices and mediums became our best friends. Interactive was simply something that involved your participation, and it seems to be going back to that as of late in brand building and awareness based advertising. But it's not just real world interaction and awareness that's happening again, it's experiences that do something for the greater good that make it exciting again!

The Citibike NYC service is a great example of how a big brand that was frankly not being seen in the best light as of late, did something that people could interact with, something they could use, something that helped.

Another brand that continues to create crazy cool interactive awareness campaigns is Coke. Their latest in their ongoing "open happiness" campaign was mall OOH kiosks that turned into wrapping paper. 

I can't wait to see what new interactive work will be done in the future. I hope to be a part of it.

Dove shows women they're more beautiful than they think.

Ogilvy Brazil worked with a forensic sketch artist for Dove's "real women" campaign to create before and after portraits of sorts. The artist first sketched from behind a curtain from only a self description. Then they created a second sketch from another persons description who recently met and spent time with them that day. Check out the video to see for yourself.

The difference between their own view of themselves and how other people described them was dramatic, and shows women they're more beautiful than they think. We all could learn a lesson from this.

Check out the full campaign on their website.