the recession and the poletics of its advertising

1- the british jeans company lee cooper: they did the “work” thing but half heartedly and not long enough

2- levi’s did it better and with perfect timing

(above and below) an earlier iteration of go forth with photographer ryan mcginley

3- and then there is always the losers, american eagle outfitters plays catch up, its what b companies do

 

so the recession came and companies where wondering how to sell their junk when no one needed anything. and that was the silver lining. maybe lets say something worthy? for once? let’s take a stance and not blab about some nonsense as to why this is better than that? or which girl should we use this season?

 

right at the start levi’s came out with their “work” campaign. i remember seeing the first ones and thinking ok, nice pictures, and hey for once a call to action for a nation so pumped up on its own ego where if you actually worked for a living you had to feel bad. after all everyone in the US jets around in private planes with their teacup dogs, and shops, right? or at least thats what has become the new american nightmare. unlike kennedy who asked the nation to work, george bush advised us to shop and lounge around. this was of course perfect for levi’s who used both! originally made for work clothes, levis really needed to sell, and be relevant again in the sea of designer jeans. they did well. i especially like the black daddy and his son, as it broke the stereo types created by hits like “if you need to be with me, you need a J, O, B” or something to that extent as if having a job was not common in “those circles” (that song by the way, unfortunately, is being played out and about once again, like it wasn’t bad enough the first time around). it also addressed the notion that black daddy’s don’t really take care of their families… well hell they do, if you buy them some levi’s. so well done mr. strauss! you make good solid products, just please layoff your newer, “distressed” and  “flimsy” jeans that either look like someone peed in them or feel like you’re wearing a t-shirt instead of a jeans. and do continue your collaboration with filson, i bought the oil finished jacket in moleskin and love it, its a natural marriage.

 

filson levi’s moleskin oil finished jacket

so that brings us to american eagle outfitters. the losers are like vultures… always around to take a good cut and nibble on it beyond distinction. we the people, has very little to do with the american constitution or the people of united states. the bunch in the picture come across as a crowd of obnoxious degenerates you’d want to avoid with a ten foot pole. that said id give em a D- for doing a little bit of homework adding in the token “cr-asian”, one black girl, and hey is that a hispanic i see there? you couldn’t generate a worse-er campaign through a mechanical machine than this. to make it worse they add the tag line “live in AE jeans” like that’s what you want to really hear? Yeh we the people like to be told what the fuck to wear by some lame b jeans maker. i trust they will be looking for a new agency… or maybe the brilliant marketing dir. think this is “just fab”. by xy

surgeon general warning on masturbation: “not” a part of human sexuality


joycelyn elders, was the 15th U.S. surgeon general from sept 1993 to december 1994 when she was fired for making a remark about masturbation being a part of human sexuality. on my readings i came upon this funny anecdote about the conservative nature of the US and its puritan and hypocritical nature. ironically the president that was insulted by this remark, was not a born-again christian of sorts, but one cowed to show his ” US moral values”…

 

“in 1994, joycelyn elders was invited to speak at a united nations conference on AIDS. she was asked whether it would be appropriate to promote masturbation as a means of preventing young people from engaging in riskier forms of sexual activity, and she replied, “i think that it is part of human sexuality, and perhaps it should be taught.” this remark caused great controversy and resulted in elders losing the support of the white house. white house chief of staff leon panetta remarked, “there have been too many areas where the president does not agree with her views. this is just one too many.” elders was fired as a result of the controversy by the US president, bill clinton (who just happened to be getting a blow job in the oval office).

 

one more reason to frown upon those who expect their politicians to be “moral” examples. it’s like expecting to own a pet that never shits. its a nice idea but it will never happen… i’ll be back with an op-ed on dominique strauss-khan. by dd

kunstgaleriebonn vernissage: papier/paper show in bonn germany

max cole: ohne title, 2005

werner haypeter: ohne titel 2011

hadi tabatabai: weave 2011

john zinsser: color bars III 2009

leave it to the germans to produce an immaculately simple and beautiful catalog even for a small show in bonn. everything, the invite and the catalog look simple and sharp. the show, “papier/paper”, beautifully and consistantly curated included the work of frank badur, detlef beer, max cole, werner haypeter, karim noureldin, hadi tabatabai, john zinsser, beat zoderer. the show will be up july 15th to august 26 th 2011 and the opening will be on july 14th 7PM. if you are in the vacinity do stop by for the opening: kunstgaleriebonn, villa faupel, lotharstrabe 106, D-53115 bonn, GmbH. by dd

back from the islands


a week of nothing to do but lay around sipping on cold drinks and watching the sunset, well set. i watched the fishermen pull their catch out and hand selected what i wanted for dinner… the way it should be. it was great but glad, in a sadistic way, to be back. by dd

LA WOMAN

LA bound, and even though this is almost definitely not there, i can’t shake this gorgeous image by john rawling, for vogue circa 1947… because it’s my fantasy of soft sand and perfect nails. i may have posted this already but who cares, we could all enjoy another look, non?  by kl