Is this billboard offensive?
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  Is this billboard offensive?
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Question: Is this billboard offensive?
#1
Yes
 
#2
No
 
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Author Topic: Is this billboard offensive?  (Read 1557 times)
they don't love you like i love you
BRTD
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« on: June 06, 2010, 12:25:58 AM »



Of course not. Sadly some dumb prudish olds here complained and got them taken down.
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Free Palestine
FallenMorgan
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« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2010, 12:38:32 AM »

Oh, I get it.  That's supposed to be a hooker?
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Associate Justice PiT
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« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2010, 12:38:46 AM »

     That anyone could construe that as being offensive makes me fear for the future of humanity just a bit.
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Bo
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« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2010, 12:50:24 AM »

no
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useful idiot
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« Reply #4 on: June 06, 2010, 01:01:23 AM »

To me? No
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they don't love you like i love you
BRTD
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« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2010, 01:03:41 AM »

Here's the Facebook page of the whining: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4311483&id=712103130

Bunch of olds as you can see. I'm sure the vast majority of people didn't care but they whined enough.
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Marokai Backbeat
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« Reply #6 on: June 06, 2010, 01:12:35 AM »

Best billboard ever.
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snowguy716
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« Reply #7 on: June 06, 2010, 01:28:19 AM »

it's clearchannel.. of course it's offensive.
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Magic 8-Ball
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« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2010, 02:16:17 AM »

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BRTD
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« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2010, 12:40:14 PM »

it's clearchannel.. of course it's offensive.

Yeah that's the most offensive part.
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fezzyfestoon
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« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2010, 02:38:09 PM »

Clever!
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Kaine for Senate '18
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« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2010, 08:11:23 PM »

Hahaha.  No.
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Tetro Kornbluth
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« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2010, 08:13:01 PM »
« Edited: June 06, 2010, 08:15:44 PM by The Goy's Teeth »

It's incredibly dumb and screams "I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER ADVERTISING STRATEGY!!!!".

Offensive? Yeah. Probably. "LOL PROSTITUTION IS TEH FUNNIEST!!!111 But it's okay.. we are being 'ironic'". God If I read that defense one more time for douchebaggery I'll.... I don't know but it will be bad.
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Earth
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« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2010, 08:24:31 PM »

Here's the ironic part. The most vocal of these prudes has this as her profile photo:



Which is more offensive now; a billboard using prostitution humor, or a parody of something that encapsulates what amounts to the worse in the human suffering?
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Tetro Kornbluth
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« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2010, 08:28:34 PM »

Here's the ironic part. The most vocal of these prudes has this as her profile photo:



Which is more offensive now; a billboard using prostitution humor, or a parody of something that encapsulates what amounts to the worse in the human suffering?

No. The difference is that the "Chairman Meow" poster is not there to advertise only to amuse. It also does not involve any real people like the model in the campaign. And finally (and most importantly) it's witty and has some originality and imagination to it (and I don't see how it is trivalizing the deaths of those under Mao), the billboard on the other hand...
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True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)
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« Reply #15 on: June 06, 2010, 08:31:37 PM »

The billboard in the top post reminds me of a TV ad campaign for the "best strip joint in town" we had around here.  It featured a scantily-clad woman touting a local auto salvage yard where you can "strip" used parts from the hulks.
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Sewer
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« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2010, 08:34:09 PM »

Here's the ironic part. The most vocal of these prudes has this as her profile photo:



Which is more offensive now; a billboard using prostitution humor, or a parody of something that encapsulates what amounts to the worse in the human suffering?

No. The difference is that the "Chairman Meow" poster is not there to advertise only to amuse. It also does not involve any real people like the model in the campaign. And finally (and most importantly) it's witty and has some originality and imagination to it (and I don't see how it is trivalizing the deaths of those under Mao), the billboard on the other hand...

Witty? It's a pun.
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Tetro Kornbluth
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« Reply #17 on: June 06, 2010, 08:36:52 PM »

Here's the ironic part. The most vocal of these prudes has this as her profile photo:



Which is more offensive now; a billboard using prostitution humor, or a parody of something that encapsulates what amounts to the worse in the human suffering?

No. The difference is that the "Chairman Meow" poster is not there to advertise only to amuse. It also does not involve any real people like the model in the campaign. And finally (and most importantly) it's witty and has some originality and imagination to it (and I don't see how it is trivalizing the deaths of those under Mao), the billboard on the other hand...

Witty? It's a pun.

Still more intelligent than the billboard. (and while "witty" is a wrong word to use there is some intelligence in the Juxtaposition of images rather than the language. Nothing more than Internet humour, but what's wrong with that? Earth, I want a reply).
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BRTD
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« Reply #18 on: June 06, 2010, 08:37:31 PM »

It's incredibly dumb and screams "I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER ADVERTISING STRATEGY!!!!".

Offensive? Yeah. Probably. "LOL PROSTITUTION IS TEH FUNNIEST!!!111 But it's okay.. we are being 'ironic'". God If I read that defense one more time for douchebaggery I'll.... I don't know but it will be bad.

Uh, you like South Park.
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Tetro Kornbluth
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« Reply #19 on: June 06, 2010, 08:45:24 PM »

It's incredibly dumb and screams "I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER ADVERTISING STRATEGY!!!!".

Offensive? Yeah. Probably. "LOL PROSTITUTION IS TEH FUNNIEST!!!111 But it's okay.. we are being 'ironic'". God If I read that defense one more time for douchebaggery I'll.... I don't know but it will be bad.

Uh, you like South Park.

"Douchebaggery" is the key word in the sentence. The South Park guys, at their best, are actually excellent satirists especially on TV/Movie conventions.
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Mint
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« Reply #20 on: June 06, 2010, 08:49:18 PM »

It's incredibly dumb and screams "I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER ADVERTISING STRATEGY!!!!".

Offensive? Yeah. Probably. "LOL PROSTITUTION IS TEH FUNNIEST!!!111 But it's okay.. we are being 'ironic'". God If I read that defense one more time for douchebaggery I'll.... I don't know but it will be bad.

^^^

This. I wasn't personally 'offended' I just find it tacky and uninspired.
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Earth
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« Reply #21 on: June 06, 2010, 08:53:03 PM »
« Edited: June 06, 2010, 08:56:50 PM by Earth »

Here's the ironic part. The most vocal of these prudes has this as her profile photo:



Which is more offensive now; a billboard using prostitution humor, or a parody of something that encapsulates what amounts to the worse in the human suffering?

No. The difference is that the "Chairman Meow" poster is not there to advertise only to amuse.

That makes no difference. For all we know, this could serve as a legitimate advertisement for the artist's portfolio.

It also does not involve any real people like the model in the campaign.

That doesn't matter either. I used it to illustrate bad taste, which the prude seems to only selectively care about.

And finally (and most importantly) it's witty and has some originality and imagination to it

That's debatable, and irrelevant, too.

(and I don't see how it is trivalizing the deaths of those under Mao), the billboard on the other hand...

It trivializes the propaganda that it parodies, in an attempt to undermine it, but because the quality and witticism is debatable, I think it fails. It tries to separate the imagery from it's historical place, but fails.

My only problem is with the prude, not the attempt at humor in this Meow poster. Bad taste is fine, bad art is fine, but I take offense to the woman's seeming obliviousness; sanitized sex is a no-no, but monumental historical markers tied to Mao seem to completely pass her over.
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Tetro Kornbluth
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« Reply #22 on: June 06, 2010, 09:09:56 PM »

Yes, yes, I understand your point about the prudery about sex versus the open trivalization of the violence of history that the poster represents. I disagree obviously.

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True. But what if it does? Then it would only be bad art.

The billboard is trying to tap into cultural ideas about the female body, women and prostitution and does so in the totally crass, inane and offensive way that is the bedrock of so much of modern advertising. Remember the billboard is selling a product, a product which is not related in any way to what I just mentioned. They do this because they believe it will be effective (and judging from many of the comments here, it probably is). That's the important part - sexuality as a form of consumption to be played for 'irony'.

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Fair enough. But I do think the example is silly because the example is not particularly strong. The poster strikes me as too inconquestial. It is basically nothing but irony.

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Okay you might be right with debatable. But irrelevant?

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I don't think so. The best way to deal with propaganda is to laugh at it often by underlining it's particular self-importance (I'm only talking about what we traditionally define as propaganda here. I would argue that the billboard would
count as propaganda too. Perhaps a more insidious one because we don't think of it as propaganda and thus dismiss it as much. Ever read The Space Merchants? It has some good stuff on this).

If I did a parody of North Korean propaganda right now (and many people on this forum have done so) would that be me trivalizing all that is happening in North Korea right now?
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Earth
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« Reply #23 on: June 06, 2010, 09:49:19 PM »
« Edited: June 06, 2010, 09:52:08 PM by Earth »

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True. But what if it does? Then it would only be bad art.

That is true, but then again, advertisement or not, I don't think it makes a difference. It's commercial role doesn't change the fundamental issue.

The billboard is trying to tap into cultural ideas about the female body, women and prostitution and does so in the totally crass, inane and offensive way that is the bedrock of so much of modern advertising. Remember the billboard is selling a product, a product which is not related in any way to what I just mentioned. They do this because they believe it will be effective (and judging from many of the comments here, it probably is). That's the important part - sexuality as a form of consumption to be played for 'irony'.

I don't disagree with this at all, but to me, if it comes down to trivializing, or exploiting sexuality (which I would go as far as to say is it's number one societal use), or exploiting authoritarian imagery that's tied to the massive injustices in China, I'd much rather sexuality be the victim here.

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Fair enough. But I do think the example is silly because the example is not particularly strong. The poster strikes me as too inconquestial. It is basically nothing but irony.

But what makes the poster more inconsequential than the billboard?

The irony I see in this artwork (Meow) is the ignorance of it's importance within history juxtaposed with Mao's historical importance, if it has any irony to begin with.

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Okay you might be right with debatable. But irrelevant?

I mean it's witticism, and imagination is irrelevant in determining the 'faux pas', or offensiveness, in regards to the thread's topic.

The best way to deal with propaganda is to laugh at it often by underlining it's particular self-importance (I'm only talking about what we traditionally define as propaganda here.

I agree, but then I would have to split hairs because of the very real possibility that this piece of artwork functions more as a piece of commerce than any genuine critique; it became kitsch instead of critique. That capitalism ended up erasing any possibility that we have to laugh at the actual piece of propaganda by the parody being the object of discussion instead of the propaganda it parodies.

But it's a whole other kettle of chinese fish.

I would argue that the billboard would count as propaganda too.

I agree. Economic propaganda if not political.

Perhaps a more insidious one because we don't think of it as propaganda and thus dismiss it as much. Ever read The Space Merchants? It has some good stuff on this).

I haven't read it, but I'll check it out now.

I don't think it's more insidious, partly because of what I was saying earlier; that sexuality has been rendered an exploitative tool in modern business, maybe fulfills it's role just as intended, to entice. It has bigger implications, but the billboard has no history compared to everything tied to the original Mao propaganda. Once again, if it's sexuality or history that needs to be trivialized, or denigrated, take the former.  

If I did a parody of North Korean propaganda right now (and many people on this forum have done so) would that be me trivalizing all that is happening in North Korea right now?

It could be. That could be your intention, or maybe not; I wouldn't know. What makes a big difference is the character that your art would take when disseminated, it's cultural use. Because the Mao poster was reduced to kitsch through parody, I think it stands as a bigger ethical failure than the billboard.
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Queen Mum Inks.LWC
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« Reply #24 on: June 07, 2010, 01:54:35 PM »

No - but I tend to be a bit more laxed about stuff like that.
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