Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Naked Branding

People are in a tizzy because some guys shaved their heads in order for Air New Zealand to use them as advertising billboards. They were given round trip tickets to New Zealand and $777 for their efforts.
Now people are screaming that the body is a temple (to judge from our increasingly expanding bodies, each one the size of the Taj Mahal), how dare they, etc, etc. How very holier than thou.
I want to know how this is different from the people who pay money to wear logos all over their clothes.
They are walking billboards and yet they are stupid enough to pay for the privilege.
I refuse to wear outward logos if I can help it: I'm not a walking ad. I also think it is the height of tackiness.
I am the last person to defend ubiquitous advertising. I was appalled when CBS stamped its eye logo on supermarket eggs. I hate covert marketing (it's everywhere). I hate what they call branded entertainment, I hate product placement. I want to know when an ad is an ad, not a 2 hour Fedex commercial with Tom Hanks.
For instance, I love 30 Rock but their blatant shilling of products is disgusting to me, even when it's done in a relatively entertaining way.
But if some people want to shave their heads to advertise a paying brand? Why not? It's their conscious decision. So lighten up, you morally obsessed freaks.

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