Monday, July 16, 2007

Communist icongraphy for a capitalist tool




































How enterprising. The self proclaimed champion of capitalism, Forbes has dusted of the iconic fist from Soviet era propaganda and re-purposed it.

The device is itself clever support for its underlying business ideology: using it represents a very entrepreneurial act. No doubt Trotsky, Lenin and Stalin are rolling around in their collective graves.

Will the common man or woman on the street be confused by this creative license and think that Forbes is extolling political virtues, or worse, that the brand has abandoned its principles? Hardly. Most young people today have such a disinterest in history that they most likely aren't even aware of the satire.

Most outdoor media are read for a matter of seconds and requires short, concise visual and verbal expressions of an idea to be fully digested. It's why icons and symbols can be so effective in these challenging environments. They represent potent devices because the meaning is so immediately and viscerally evident, short-circuiting normally longer processing times.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hello blooger frends! I agree clever mixing of the socialist form and the capitalist mesages. We have opposit here in Moscow --"McLenin" T-shirts and on.

Alexei

PS Lenin cannot yet "roll in the grave", as he is not yet buried! He lies in Mausoleum in Red Square. You can see him if you come to Moscow!!