2011 Valentine’s Day / Studio Pip and Co. action project (updated)

14 February 2011

Inspired by Paul Macartney’s – Maybe I am Amazed. Song lyrics, love graphics, six text posters, six graphic posters, half on Pink Optix, the other half on Baby Blue Optix, 180 copies, 90 Melbourne sites.

We commenced the project mid last week. We acknowledged that design required clear and uncomplicated design values. The work had to be made in house as it could be easily damaged, trashed and recycled. We started by developing an uncomplicated concept, dug through our visual archive, made some romance inspired visuals in half a day, fine tuned Friday and then installed on Valentine’s Day. There is plenty of overprinting for our friend Mr Tony-I-Design–Sans-Overprint ta boot.

Valentine’s Day has become a bit of retail sell fest. In response we thought we could put a feeling out there that celebrates the special connection that people make with each other, beyond the sex thing. The feelings, the thoughts, the physical, are things in a friendship that transcends retail fix its. We wanted to simply communicate these ideas to the public on V Day.

Lesson 1 /

Our binned posters

Even in the matters of love, commerce shows no mercy – unless one has a garage sale, or lost pet notice. It appears that the act of public notice, displaying flyers or posters, an act that has been around for two thousand years, is a highly controlled social medium and potentially not the space to create a grass roots campaign or action. The majority of the sites were killed by the street poster cartel, a very tidy job too, it seems well before 9am.

Our best intentions were there never-the-less. We enjoyed making a public action which brought together an idea with print, environment, digital media devised to create many public responses and interactions. Happy V Day everyone.

5 comments

5 Comments so far

  1. Tony February 14th, 2011 2:26 pm

    Another interesting project by Studio overprint.

  2. Studio Pip and Co February 14th, 2011 4:49 pm

    Nice comment Tony no link, we love the “Studio overprint” jab. Next time, put a link to your work so that we can make up a fake gmail acc. and pass judgement about it anonymously.

    Given the post time, one would have to assume that only an Australian could make this comment about another Australian’s work. If you are not, you are half way there to being one.

    We accept that we do go over familiar territory with our work, we accept that it may not be to everyone’s liking, and we are ok with it. What bothers one about this comment is that there is no mention of the process, initiative, concept or intention. Australian studio’s with a programme of commercial work, public works/ actions, process commentary, creative development are hard enterprises to maintain. We are encouraging of all studio’s, with all styles / approaches to the making of work, especially studios who want do more than make money, just make sure you develop a thick skin for the “No link Tony’s” out there – they have a knack of putting a real downer on your efforts.

  3. MrBlanc February 15th, 2011 10:46 am

    In true Aussie fashion ill use a well pounded colloquialism : Tony you’re a dickhead mate! I like your project Pip and Co. MrBlanc AKA CoryWhite

  4. Tweets that mention Australian design and the universe verses Studio Pip and Co. » 2011 Valentine’s Day / Studio Pip and Co. action project -- Topsy.com February 15th, 2011 11:06 am

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Andrew Ashton , Kylie McIntyre. Kylie McIntyre said: Nice one guys! RT @StudioPipandCo A studio project about love not money… http://fb.me/RDjL0CnI [...]

  5. Bianca February 15th, 2011 2:08 pm

    Sticks and stones Tony!

    Love your work Studio Pip & Co. The posters are cool too.

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