Imaginary (anti) brands
PSFK points out these recent fake products evidently placed in retail locations by TrustoCorp. An example of shopdropping, a form of semiotic disobedience discussed earlier on this site here and here (and also here, when shopdropping was, oddly, picked up as an alleged “trend” by a murketer). Some of these are fun, and an interesting example of using imaginary brands in the real world.
Reader Comments
I want to fawn over the brilliant and playful subversiveness of this project, but I’m unclear as to what exactly is being subverted. If the fake brands are there as a form of ontological terrorism (a la Hakim Bey) to jolt people out of their routine stupor, then I say “Carry on, good chaps.”
If they were placed as a sort of vicious and holier-than-thou “commentary” with a totally vague target (a la Adbusters), then I say “What’s your point?”
Yes, I like some of these more than others — Glossy Veneer and Bankos are admirable. The Bulimia thing I’m not so into, and I don’t exactly get the nose job in a can, although on some level it’s funny. I think I’m in “stand by” mode to try to figure out what it is that TrustCo is up to. Talent there for sure; to what end, dunno.