Hey Nike! ⇒
5 May 2005, early afternoon
I for one love the RunTO Nike ads, but some people aren't willing to let their use of sweatshops slide. This link was found via Torontoist.
This is a post from my link log: If you click the title of this post you will be taken the web page I am discussing.
Man, the TPSC has such a knack for taking a clever, creative approach to serious public space issues. What a great group.
by Matt on May 5 2005, 3:04 pm #
I don’t know much about the group, but for those interested they are running a few other campaigns.
by ramanan on May 5 2005, 3:09 pm #
They’re leading a very strong opposition against the proposed postering bylaw, which is coming up for review at City Council later this month.
by Matt on May 5 2005, 3:38 pm #
I think this anti-Nike ad smokes any of the RunTO ads I’ve seen.
by rishi on May 5 2005, 3:55 pm #
you really think so Rishi?
Putting aside the fact that “nike uses sweatshop”, I think their campaign department did an awesome job. The ads are so different and definitely catch your eyes each time. Copying someone’s design and adding a witty comment to it doesn’t make it better than the original.
(I’m not in anyway saying Nike is a great company.. but you can’t deny that they ran a successful campaign…. how many times have you read and reread their ads and chuckled each time?)
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and now my rant on TPSC: Kudo’s for promoting public space beautification in Toronto, but they want to help save postering in Toronto as well? Someone enlighten me please? (I’m being sincere! ... because I thought on some level they are contradictory campaigns? )
by sh!ma on May 5 2005, 9:59 pm #
It’s a free speech issue in the sense that a postering ban would effectively ban anyone from posting any sort of public message. People tend to think that it would just affect a few punk bands, but it would also be a blow to community organizers. You wouldn’t even be able to post something about a lost dog or a missing person, although I hear they are talking about concessions.
It’s a public space beautification issue in Toronto in the context of City Council banning public postering, but paving the way at nearly every opportunity for more corporate advertising. Banning the former just creates more space for the latter.
I live down on Queen West, which is heavily postered. I like walking down that strip and seeing gig posters every where. They’re signs of life in the community. If the ban were to go into effect, that strip would just be ads for jeans, body spray and Nike.
That said, there are good and bad ways to poster, from both environmental and private property perspectives. I think we ought to be focusing on those distinctions as opposed to throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
by Matt on May 6 2005, 1:23 pm #
Thanks for the clarification. :)
Maybe passing the by-law with some concessions could please both sides? Torontonians can retain their “culture, diversity and freedom of expression” while still making their city more presentable to the rest of the world?
I’m not sure if the City of Waterloo has a similar by-law or not, but whatever system they have works real well. All the posters posted on hydro poles around the 20 meter radius of Campus have dates of when they were posted and are removed within a reasonable time after the event has passed. It’s pretty well organized. But maybe it’s because it’s near the university? Anyways, it makes for a more “pleasant” walk.
by sh!ma on May 6 2005, 2:18 pm #
We should totally start a punk band called Lost Dog.
by Dave on May 6 2005, 11:22 pm #