Outdoor Advertising - Big Art Attack

It's a brave new world of guerrilla marketing and pseudo-event planning. At least that's what it feels like occasionally. Although I haven't been privy to much of this style of advertising myself - maybe that's a byproduct of living in Winnipeg - the words themselves have become common terms, both online and within my own schooling.

When I originally heard about guerrilla marketing, particularly the idea of an outdoor exhibition or performance of sorts, my mind immediately darted to the well-lit corridors of childhood, and to the classic television program , Art Attack.

photo via vtr.com

For those of you who aren't familiar with the show, the basic premise would involve master artist Neil Buchanan (pictured above) producing arts and crafts with the help of his handy PVA glue. The program was educational and entertaining. However, the real reason anyone watched was of course to see Neil's generation of the stunning Big Art Attack.



Although these pieces were produced entirely for the entertainment of the audience, a similar piece could theoretically be created to raise awareness of a product, gain media attention, or launch a brand. A large, outdoor work of art - under the guidance of Neil Buchanan himself - could shake the pillars of the advertising world in an intense and irreparable way. Imagine a monstrous Nike logo created entirely from kabuli chickpeas and stretched across the length of a football field. Or a simple, heartfelt slogan written entirely with the grey hairs of elderly hobos in mammoth proportions in an abandoned parking lot. It's a powerful thought.

Or maybe they're just talking about something different when they say "guerrilla marketing." Who knows.