An Antidote to Advertising: A simple image promoting nothing, asking nothing; but giving a lot. |

“A simple image promoting nothing, asking nothing; but giving a lot.”

Our daily lives are flooded with advertising. Our streets are covered in billboards and television seems to be one long chain of commercials. “As you walk through your world you will find yourself bombarded with a white-noise of images that promise or imply or accuse.”

The Free Range Duck project claims to have the solution for us. “We want to find the space in-between this visual cacophony and place there a bit of light, a bit of love, a smile, or even just a thought. And we want you to help. The Duck aims to please in the simplest form. To coax a smile as you pass by. There is no hidden agenda, there is no grand intention, other than to spread the Duck far and wide and bring a bit of light relief in our visually saturated media environment.“

Anyone can download the duck (as it is licensed under creative commons) print it, paste it, remix it, trash it, stick it or post it on flyers, websites, walls & street signs throughout the world. “We want the Duck to grow and flourish, so please feel free to help him grow, include him in your own designs, sow the seeds for others, the only condition we ask is that you make no money from the image. This is beyond money. This is Fun.”

Crowdsourcing, guerilla marketing, community marketing, … words we constantly hear within the ad world. Well this project is a great and inspiring example for us all. Its once again the community aspect (that is built up around it) and creative commons element what makes it such a great project . There’s a group of people spread throughout the world that pick up the duck, customise it to their specifications or keep it untouched, yet spreading it.

I don’t have much more to add really, other than tune in tomorrow as we’ll be posting an interview we had with the founders of what seems to be a great photography project. In the mean time join the Free Range Duck facebook group, download the duck and be creative. Out.