City
Astral TTC bus shelter ads get hacked
Just in time for the return of Don Draper and the Mad Men crew, a guerrilla street artist has hacked a number of Astral's TTC bus shelter ad spots in an apparent effort to "provoke discussion about consumerism and advertising in public spaces." According to the website that accompanies the anti-ads and a tip we received from a reader, seven eight shelters received "updates" over the weekend, spanning an area from Queen & Lisgar to Yonge & King. A casual tour of the more westerly shelters this morning confirmed that at least a few of them are still in place.
As for who's behind the project, at this point no one has claimed credit (which is perhaps fitting given the nature of the intervention). The hack is reminiscent — if not as inventive — as the work that was done to add a chalkboard to an info pillar earlier this year. The group that took responsibility for that well-received addition to our streetscape doesn't seem to be involved with this latest interrogation of ad-creep.
The web element of this little intervention is not particularly developed, but it would seem that the primary purpose of Ad Agony is to foster discussion about the relationship between public space and advertising — well, that or this is all just a cloaked marketing campaign waiting to get attention via posts such as this one. The DIY character of the anti-ads (painted by hand) suggests otherwise, but it's honestly hard to tell these days.
And that, perhaps, is the very point.
MORE PHOTOS
Queen & Lisgar
Queen & Bathurst
King & Spadina (already removed)
Yonge & King
Bay & King
Photos one through three by the author / remaining photos submitted by via our tips form
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112 Comments
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I'll never stop supporting an individual or individuals who feel the need to challenge saturation and invasion. Which is exactly what the ad industry is.
Info panels next!
Their similar skill-sets would easily transfer to oncology. So why do they insist on wasting their talents on stuff like this instead??
Thank you for your valuable and thoughtful addition to the conversation.
ps. let me know when you cure cancer.
And thank you for compliment! I feel proud to be accepted into such a community ;)
iPhone is a great tool and fairly well made, there is nothing wrong in using it. So is FB. One can totally use those tools and still against certain aspects of advertisements and not be hypocritical.
It's the way some advertisements are selling thing that's problematic, not necessary those things themselves (or the usage of those things). For example the way advertisements try to brainwash audiences into making poor judgements by making them feel bad about themselves.
Advertising in its current form is not "a basic fact of life". In a narrowed, sheltered, poorly explored view of life maybe. That's why this kind of subversions are important - hoping to widen, challenge, and thus enrich people's view.
"Do you not understand the dichotomy i am point out?"
http://bighugelabs.com/output/lolcat8cc125d4f8bf2b791b7a0edd85f28d83fb792799.jpg
Isn't it time to crack open a micro beer no one has heard of yet? Perhaps grow out the beard? Ride the singlespeed bike to pick up some organic carrots from the market?
I have to go now... Apparently shares of Astral are still skyrocketing on the BCE takeover news (shhhhuuudddderrrrrrrr....)
She should be doing something more productive, like curing cancer.
how's your cancer cure coming along?
ps. She drinks tea..not coffee
Out of all the things you could have responded with...thats what you say? ok. I win!
Also, "I'm not happy unless I'm buying something" -- what if it makes me happy to by from a local, independent merchant?
Isn't everything wrong with the city his fault?
"This project aims to provoke discussion about consumerism and advertising in public spaces. Our city Toronto has been hijacked by corporations to serve their agenda of profit. The voice of the individual is lost. Dialogue is non-existent. Public spaces need public voices. The posters on this site were installed to start a conversation about this concept."
and to applaud it is ridiculous.
Try harder student...yeah, we know you're in art school.
http://vimeo.com/7184642
And, remember, this has been done in TO before.
http://torontoist.com/2010/08/how_tosat_took_over_torontos_street_ad_space/
Pattison and Astral may use different locking systems, but you get the point.
http://oi42.tinypic.com/kd3nns.jpg
just sayin...
Should everyone with a business not try to convince people to use their product/service?
I think that we're all pretty clear on the goals and narrative derived from advertising, what's more unclear as what's the goal of Ad Agony. Is it alright to have an advertisement painted on the side of a building? Is it billboards that are no good? For some reason when people tag public areas, that's alright, but an ad for a pair of shoes is somehow different?
BTW @Lauren: you are so right.
@ynz: If you think that companies that have advertisements are not trying to communicate or think that if there's no profit made that it's not advertising than you are wrong. Triple face palm?
Advertising is here to stay. Everyone I know and see 'advertise' themselves in the brands they buy, their interests, and what they tell people about themselves. How did he decide to go to OCAD? What shirt does he wear? Did he ride a bike to school? How does he choose that bike? Everyone brands/advertises themselves. It would be interesting to see how people would look, act, and go if they really didn't give a crap about what people thought about them. But they do.
I think the message is a good one but it is kinda overplayed and very 20 years ago...is it not? And its not just big companies who manipulate with their messages...its small independents as well...Dont tell me that the "organic" movement is independant. That is one hell of a big, money making corporation....
I still like the message these people are conveying...everyone should be more skeptical and not just so accepting of the messages they receive.
What's up with people claiming that "this has been done before"? Yes, everything has been done before... many, many, many times. We know! That doesn't mean someone else can't do it again, in their own way, with their own style, and maybe do it *better*.
No matter how plain, simple & obvious these posters are. A hand painted message from an individual rather than an advertisement? Why not? I think these posters 'go over the top' and give it to you blunt just to get you to question what your seeing behind glass along with the rest of the printed & painted messages you encounter when your DOWNTOWN.
I think the english have a pretty good word for this type of behaviour "cheeky".
By merely seeing advertisements, you are participating directly to feeding the system.
Or maybe you're just a fucking idiot.
You probably don't 'suck dick all day'. I bet you're a successful entrepreneur who doesn't have to listen to anyone.
My problem with with advertising, as the paintings here are critiquing, create desire, want, and play off people's emotions and ideas of self, for no reason more than to make some people richer. A lot of energy, time, and creative talent, is wasted on work with no purpose than the amassing of wealth.
I just wonder why some people have to be so negative about stuff like this. I've always apply a golden rule that seems to work on everything : If you don't have something good to say, just don't say it (unless otherwise indicated).
If s/he is from OCAD kudos to the school and to her/him. It may not save the whales or the world but at least is making us reflect upon our capitalist ideas - (to the person who ask that, have you done something to save the whales or the world? if you are curing cancer please let us know, as we all are waiting for such discovery).
And to the people who criticize OCAD, let me tell you something, I find that you get whatever you want to get from a school (specially in art and design as they are subjective). Art and Design can do great things when practice properly (get over it).
Once again, congrats.
Bravo.
ps: neither a defense or affirmation of the article's content, just felt the need to let this goofnugget know he's the blog-post equivalent of a turd in a sandbox; there's no good reason for it being there, but it sure does suck.
I think this is a great topic for discussion. But, this is a discussion we've all had over and over and over and over.
I have an appreciation for the posters and posters just like it... but, now what? For everyone out there who feel so strongly about this, I'd love to see less talk and more action. For a creative to create a concept that involves deeper ideas and interaction and has more thought put into it. This has caused a bit of a stir, but in a week it'll be forgotten. I'd love to see if/how this guy continues it, if he has a passion for this topic - and others who feel strongly. I think that's what bothers me most. We've seen one-offs over and over. Let's bash something. Now let's see deeper ideas.
I think these posters let everyone know that this is POSSIBLE. Go out and challenge advertising in public spaces, disrupt shit, take out a black marker and make a commentary on an ad. Why the hell not? These specific posters might be forgotten about in a week, but the concept of individuals challenging corporate messages downtown, will remain. This problem isn't going away.
Little confused about your comment. Its oddly short and lacking of that ranty, incoherent prose you've gained a reputation for. I do however appreciate the enlightened admission that you're unaware of my gender... directly following a comment about my beard. Anyway, you are skirting my central point; that you hijacked an otherwise decent conversation on the use of public space, advertising, public/street art and the value/efficacy of potentially subversive tactics to whine about shit you already don't like... You're smarter than hipsters, i think is you're main point, right?
The central focus of my post, however (and I am sorry everyone for feeding the troll, we've all been there), is that you actually do suck. I thought the turd in the sand box comment was a pretty good mental image. In fact, right now, I am imagining a turd in a sandbox reading this response and getting all turd-angry. I think you just need to cool it and not use every chance to speak as a means to validate your cynicism or general bad attitude while giving your ego a handjob. The featured project is not my favourite, but I'd rather have someone go out and put this up, followed by a civil and engaged conversation than not. So stop sucking and ruining that discussion part. If you disagree, try to articulate why with reason and in a sequential order. You'll get more friends, learn cool stuff, the smell will dissipate and you'll contribute to the development of a collective idea. neat.
So anyway, peace be unto you my smelly friend. I hope one day you will get over your genderless beard anxiety. If you stop trolling your life away, one day you'll be invited to sit at the adult table and be able to conversate without everyone rolling their eyes and trading glances back and forth while awkwardly adjusting their napkins.
"Do you not understand the dichotomy i am point out?"
ps; once again, apologies to all. Its just tempting to sometimes feed the birds even though you know they shit all over your yard.
At the end of the day the artist is still advertising something. Even encouraging you to check out their site which is oh so conveniently placed at the bottom of the posters. They're also promoting their creative work, would be a great way for a creative to get an interview at an ad agency by taking over strategically placed ads to promote their work and spark conversation, no? Not sure of the exact locations but I would've taken over the bus shelters located in front of creative agencies where I wanted to apply. I've also read about people high jacking company websites to get an interview (and landing the job).
This is nothing more than vandalism and in the end it costs all of us. Next time you feel like complaining about the cost of a product or service, stifle yourself. Now they have to pay employees to go around and remove this crap. The companies whose original ad was there now have to pay to have those ads replaced, the cost of which will trickle down to the consumer.
If you have something to say, that's fine, but PAY for it like everyone else does and stop acting like a common thief.
Creative work? Really? Look again art critic...
Advertising has already ripped off the typographic look of works by Barbara Kruger and others, so the reverse is fair play.
The cost of removing/replacing the posters is already included in the generous contracts that Astral has - nothing gets passed on to the advertiser, the consumer or the taxpayer/citizen. They print way more posters than they need as it is.
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