Culture
Wins
in
Paris
Our Newsletter Gets a Response
Carlos Mare
Senior Creative Director, M139 Design Studio
Carlos Mare
Senior Creative Director, M139 Design Studio
Editor’s Note: This response to last week’s newsletter is coming directly from our inbox. We loved it so much we turned it into a post. Carlos emailed me the day after we published the newsletter wondering if any brands won the Olympics. If you want to get your response in our feed, first you have to subscribe and then you can email me your reactions.
I read the very thoughtful piece questioning whether brands won at the Olympics which was provoking on several levels for me since I was in Paris participating in pre-Olympic events. My overall observation when I arrived in Paris was how minimal the advertising and discussions (mindful of the electoral debacle that unfolded) were regarding the games, it was as if it were an irritation for the Parisians to have this global imposition on them. That said there were specific things that were unlike the spirit of Americans who have a huge enthusiasm and budget for the games, the Parisians seemed, to me, more interested in their politics, culture, and their way of life.
CULTURE WON THE OLYMPICS, SPECIFICALLY HIP HOP.
If there was a winner in all of this, it would be the branding of American culture and its impact on the world stage, from Basketball, Track, and other US-dominated events, but namely and uniquely Breaking, a dance form that like Graffiti and Rap transformed the world and marketing itself. As an insider and longstanding authority of the culture I have participated and seen its development since day one, so my perspective is rather unique.
Hip Hop icon Snoop Dog was a unique paradigm shift from standard programming for the network and the IOC, both of which are very conservative culture classes. Snoop gave them the lift needed to reach a broader and more diverse audience, which by all metrics has been drifting away from the games as a new generation gets hip to the disparities and consequences of the games on their communities. The young ain’t 'playing' so to speak, they want inclusion and equity, so by virtue of Snoop being present it was a moment of 'you better recognize' and a continuum from our recent 50th Hip Hop Anniversary. Our impact on brands and culture is resounding and continues to be so with and without big brands, but this moment presents something wholly different in how brands brand Hip Hop. I would ask you to watch the moving video by Montefiore Hospital and its lack of branding and focus on storytelling and culture.
Also notable was NIKE and its collaboration with famed Graffiti artist Futura who launched their novel sneaker JAM for the Breaking community and was featured in competition. The commercial was phenomenal and culturally relevant to the vast underrepresented community. It also aired on prime time! Another amazing moment of branding around this was the NIKE event at the Pompidou Center where I was previously for–of all things–an exhibition for artist Brancusi and where NIKE installed an enormous LED system on its facade to celebrate Futura and the NIKE shoe with an onsite event featuring a fantastic Breaking performance by a crew of dancers.
Can culture be a brand? Of course it can, and the question that has remained for me since day one is who will benefit most?
Notably, the Breaking portion of the events left people's heads scratching as to whether it was a sport, and who the hell was that Australian dancer? Criticism aside, her performance also elevated its exposure globally. What may be overlooked was how Delta Airlines’ adverts featured Breaker and medal-winning dancer Victor Montalvo, or his New York Times Magazine feature. He was not alone either– American dancer Sunny Choi also had her commercial spots, too.
Throughout Paris, there were a bunch of cultural happenings around Hip Hop Culture and Street Culture at very high levels which included my installations at the Olympic Museum, mural at CARRE BAUDOUIN, and Bboy sculpture on the river Seine at the foot of the events which was a branding effort for Breaking and the culture. Hip Hop was also present on ads all over the Metro promoting a staged event at the famed Théâtre du Châtelet. Notably, I went to a Street Art Exhibition at the 'precious' Petit Palis' where I met up with my friend Sheperd Fairey who was exhibiting, and we both admitted to the unlikeliness of all that was happening if it were not for Hip Hop Culture.
So in closing, can culture be a brand? Of course it can, and the question that has remained for me since day one is who will benefit most?
The answer is society, and in this case, the caveats here are who will cannibalize it most and who will protect it most?
I'm on guard.