Stranger than Fiction

Judging by the first entry in Lipton Ice Green Tea’s Project Green in Australia, I’d say it’s quite possible. Co-opting street art for the purposes of advertising a product is certainly not new, but given the strained relationship that exists between the world of advertising and street artists (publicadcampaign.org, for example), it’s incredibly hard to get it right. When the street art community considers all public space “defiled” by advertising to be deplorable, and marketers argue that the beauty of paid, legal postings is no less legitimate a use of public space than illegal street art, how do you find a way to bridge that divide?

Project Green, so far, has done a great job of it. They’ve recruited great artists to create incredible work that both beautifies the landscape and communicates a greening of the urban space. The branding is minimal, but I have to imagine that the appreciation of the local community for the use of wall space in this way will last longer in building brand loyalty than a snappy traditional outdoor piece. Check out the creation of the first piece below – the use of moss to create texture is pretty awesome. This is only #1 in the series, so check back as we keep an eye on what’s happening with Project Green.