We continue our San Diego Comic-Con coverage (see 'Records Shattered at San Diego Comic-Con') by passing on some of the more artful marketing campaigns we saw there. For subversive qualities, we note the 'Why So Serious?' dollar bill treatments (done with stickers), which were reportedly being 'sold' to dealers on the floor in bundles of 1000 bills for $900 to get them circulating to the assembled fans. While no-one would acknowledge the source, a street team was working the show on behalf of the Dark Knight movie, due out next July (see 'Dark Knight Using Imax Technology'). That team undoubtedly distributed the bills, which tie to a Website and fans photographed outside the convention center wearing the distinctive make-up.
From there we move on to three art exhibits, all on paid space on the exhibit floor, and all designed to enhance the brands of the sponsoring companies, without really selling any specific product. The Square Enix booth included a large display of original manga illustrations from the creators of Square Enix manga, none of which are sold by the company in the States (they're packaged and marketed by licensees).
Our favorite pop culture art exhibit on the floor was The D.I.Y. Qee Project: BART, which included over 50 treatments of Bart Simpson by some of the hottest designers of the day, including Matt Groening (himself), Mark Nagata (Max Toy), and adidas of
And for iconic status, the display of Darth Vader masks, each individually altered by an artist, was a great union of a 30-year pop culture icon and some unique interpretations of it.
From the viral marketing that's not that easy to find, to finding art where you'd normally find commerce, the art of marketing was on display in
