The corporate "graffiti" thing has been cracking me up for awhile now ... you know the street advertisements for things like Hummers that are made to look like graffiti. Taking it to a whole new level is the new branch of North Fork Bank at the corner of 2nd Ave. and E. 10th Street. I noticed it a couple months ago when the branch was under construction: "graffiti" inside the bank, underneath the teller windows.I seem to recall people were all up in arms about promoting graffiti when Howard Dean (aka Hoho) held a huge rally at Bryant Park in the summer of 2003 when he was running for President; the stage backdrop was decorated with graffiti art. I haven't heard any outraged commentary leveled at North Fork or any other corporation about promoting criminality and destruction by attempting to connect with the "youth market" through graffiti art -- not that they should be criticized but because it was absurd to level the charge at Hoho in the first place.
Post Script: I stand corrected. Apparently Gothamist has taken Sony to task for their corporate graffiti campaign. Of course, I was alerted to this by Curbed.
Corporate Graffiti [Polis]
City Hall Tags Dean for Using Graffiti [NY Daily News]
Graffiti Artist Who Create Dean Mural is Held [NYTimes]
