Time's Graffiiti Foray is Finished

Time magazine's graffiti billboard is completed (click on the image), and the Daily News happens to have quotes from City Councilman Peter Vallone of Queens, who is annoyed at the somewhat embattled magazine for seemingly endorsing graffiti, saying, "Time magazine should have spent its money rewarding legitimate artists, not some punk whose been defacing our city." Oh, Vallone is just bitter that the billboard is not in Queens but in SoHo! No, actually Vallone has been pretty vocal with his anti-graffiti views, but he's ignoring the fact that Time wants street cred. The News also reveals that Cope2 was paid $20,000 for the billboard, proving that tagging does pay off.

Gawker had marked the progress of the ad (week 1, week 2), and you can see the completed billboard in situ at AdRants. Time is thinking about auctioning off the billboard, with funds going to a non-profit; Gothamist expects it to be cut up when auctioned, because even though kids with the big Williamsburg lofts won't have enough room for this sucker. Also, expect to see this billboard in a full page print ad somewhere.

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By Jen Chung in News on June 30, 2005 6:06 PM

Comments [rss]

ART!

Yeeaaaahhh!!! Graffiti is ART! Mad props to these ARTISTS for doing this, and to TIME MAGAZINE for not going against graffiti ART, unlike some fags...

Props! Keep the art strong never stop!

merve

merve

bucky

Read www.woostercollective.com

I agree with Marc Shiller. This is not a co-opt of graffiti like other brands do. It is thought provoking and it is provoking thought.

However from a creative standpoint I think they should have made the TIME outline border bigger and framed the whole piece not some minute square.

bucky

Read www.woostercollective.com

I agree with Marc Shiller. This is not a co-opt of graffiti like other brands do. It is thought provoking and it is provoking thought.

dirt

This should be studied as a futile effort in marketing. Time is assuming that press pure and simple is positive for the brand. How is this graffiti action relevant? What does it convey about the magazine? I'm trying to make the connection, but it doesn't work. What an example of a desperate guerilla tactic.

rimshot

re; Street Cred...well, Time certainly knows about the gutter.

bucky

COPE2 did this piece legally. Peter Vallone is the punk not COPE. I spoke to COPE today and he's pissed this jerk off wouldn't even utter the words.