According to Sean Woolsey,

The Appropriated Poster Campaign is an ongoing experimental campaign to raise cognitive awareness and more importantly to inspire benevolent action that we often forget, oversee, or might be in opposition to our often hedonistic culture. The campaign is predominantly bus stop posters that I paint over and reinstall into their normal habitat with a new purpose. It also acts as an inherent social commentary in declaring a space more public than it was before.

This campaign has no ties to direct response or awareness for a particular brand, however, possibly it is the human brand that can benefit the most from this social experiment. I hope an agency *cough* *cough* would offer their space or even have Sean come speak to their creative teams. As a strategist I’m aware that these social experiments are a reflection of what is needed in advertising. Let’s keep in mind that advertising CAN BE used for good. But too many times advertising is used to alter public consciousness for the benefit of the few. We can all do better. Let this campaign be a start.

via PSFK

Photo: Johnewing.org

This social experiment immediately caught my attention while perusing the ‘mean streets’ of Twitter. John Ewing had an idea to open up communication between the Boston neighborhoods of Brookline and Roxbury, in a not so ordinary way.

Beginning in June 2010, the storefronts in Coolidge Corner, and in Dudley Square, Roxbury will be transformed into large video screens, providing pedestrians of each neighborhood with a portal into one another’s worlds. Running 24/7, life-size screen images and AV technology will enable real-time chat between residents of the two neighborhoods.

John Ewing, Virtual Street Corners from Knight Foundation on Vimeo.

Those not familiar with Boston may not understand the importance of this social experiment. I’ll bring you up to speed. Brookline (not to be confused with Brooklyn) is one of wealthiest areas in the Boston area while Roxbury is one of the poorest. The people from both areas have a lack of communication due to a disparity in class and economic standing.

This summer I’ll be making a trip up to Boston to check out this project. I’m not sure if this can be defined as art or activism but I’m interested in seeing the project in action and the results it yields. Planners and strategists take note.

For more information on this project:

http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2009/10/virtual-street-corners-connects-neighborhoods-and-people-in-boston289.html

http://www.newschallenge.org/winner/2009/virtual-street-corners

http://www.johnewing.org/VirtualCorners/

The Putting Lot explores the possibilities of vacant lots in the city with an emphasis on community spaces. Our aim is to inspire the imaginations of our visitors and provoke a conversation about neighborhood sustainability.

My summer just got more exciting. This is what the next lady I meet gets to look forward to on our first date. No more galleries. No more museums. No more rooftops. No more movies. No more restaurants. Just miniature golf.

For more info: The Putting Lot