March 16, 2011
The image above is of a poster that a design company put together and is currently selling online. Proceeds are given to the Canadian Red Cross. Good idea? Read this response first:
John Pavlus “Is This Poster to Aid Japan’s Tsunami Victims a Crime Against Design?”
Post a brief comment (no more than a paragraph) with your position on this. In/appropriate? Disaster-porn? Helpful?
March 16th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
This is undeniably a powerful image, and it is even more powerful in that it could not have been recreated with any other country’s flag. I do see however where the controversy lies in whether or not it is appropriate. I think that it would be more appropriate with just a little more information. I know the artist wanted to keep it simple saying only “Help Japan.” but a website or phone number directing people to an organization where they could help through would have been assisted with achieving the purpose of the poster. Also, we do a lot of fundraising activities here at UMW. Reading the article, Pavlus was saying how he wanted people to donate money out of the kindness of their hearts not so they could get a poster out of it. We have held so many bake sales, poker tournaments, date auctions and such that we’re kind of doing the same thing too aren’t we? I mean… they did raise $7000 from it.
March 16th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
Visually, this is a very powerful image that carries so much weight in what the tsunami has done to the country of Japan, but this is incredibly inappropriate and insensitive, especially with how close the releasing of this image is to actual disaster. The way I see it, I wouldn’t have wanted to see someone do this to the American flag after an incident like Hurricane Katrina or even something of a more serious magnitude. National flags deserve a certain amount of respect, especially when dealing with a “good” country like Japan. While I think it’s good that they were able to raise money because of it, I feel that there are other ways to get people to donate.
March 17th, 2011 at 12:23 am
This t-shirt is horrible. Not only does it show ignorance but it also shows a ridiculous amount of disrespect to Japan’s country. It is great that it raised money but I am sure the only reason it raised money was because it was going towards Japan and tsunami relief. I would hope no one actually wears this t-shirt out.
March 17th, 2011 at 12:39 am
i would have preferred to see the poster hung out in public places with a phone number or website printed on it that you can contact and donate to. I think selling the poster online is a bit silly, for similar reasons listed in the article, such as ‘what are you suppose to do with it when it arrives in the mail?'(especially in this whole era of having a green planet and not wasting paper like that). It would be ideal if people could just donate without having to receive anything out of it. Next brings me to the symbol on the poster– I completely agree with Laura’s above comment that National flags should not be hampered with in this manner. I would also be offended if someone did this to the American flag. Overall, I think the poster had good intentions, but was just not thought through, and just acted on an impulse.
March 17th, 2011 at 2:56 am
Flags are used to signify a country’s identity and as a symbol of a nation; accordingly, I find the production of the poster inappropriate. As Japan mends from the tsunami tragedy, I highly doubt the country and its people will want this poster existing in circulation as a representation of the nation. While the poster properly encourages recovery with the tagline “help Japan,” the cracked graphic is a poorly chosen symbol. It is an image that reminds people of the tragedy; unfortunately, using the flag symbol is an unfortunate choice, as flags are generally seen as a symbol of strength. I don’t think Japan (or any country), in the aftermath of tragedy, whether it be months, years or decades, will want to be associated with an image that reminds of tragedy and weakness as opposed to the strength an unmarred flag implies. I think the author of the article makes a strong point when he suggests simply donating directly to a crisis-response organization.
March 17th, 2011 at 3:09 am
I’m still borderline on using the imagery of the Japanese flag. On one side it gives this very powerful, and in your face, sort of propaganda style to the poster in a very simplistic way. I’m not sure what other imagery would work as well in such a short amount of time. The other hand is, it is a nation’s flag and it is disrespectful to mess with that imagery. I understand good intentions were meant, and I understand the controversy that has sprung from it. But if it were not for such a controversial image, its hard to think of many other ways that money would have been raised in such a short amount of time.
March 17th, 2011 at 3:56 am
Pavlus comments on how we should be donating directly to those in need instead of creating yet another consumerist item. I agree with this very much, however, I believe that the American culture reacts better when faced with a buyable item than simply with the the idea of charitable donation. A middle ground for all this could be to set up a website, air a television commercial, and organize street side volunteer tables in/at which the poster art would be displayed prominently and where people could donate money if the wished to do so. Not only would this generate funds but it would create a vivid picture in the minds of those who saw the commercial or what have you. I understand the argument concerning this poster and the way it was used, but I do not believe that it is so important that we must fight over it. After all, there is a country in serious need of our help; should we be analyzing art work or aiding victims of a natural disaster? If something helps raise money for a country in need, then why in the world are we questioning it’s appropriateness?
March 17th, 2011 at 4:38 am
Like the others have said, this is definitely a very powerful image. I think it could be useful as a manner of bringing people’s attention to the topic, and making an emotional connection. However, I don’t think it’s appropriate for the poster itself to be sold. It would be better to simply use the image to point people to a place where they can help/donate. The idea of getting something in return for helping, in this instance, seems like very poor taste.
March 17th, 2011 at 4:54 am
This is a typical response to any tragedy or crisis. Make something that can be sold for profit and donate the proceeds to the cause. That’s how it always happens. Bono’s (RED) campaign to fight AIDS in Africa, though completely different than this awful tragedy, is built on that same concept. The United States is a country of consumerism. We’re used to it. We feel good about ourselves when we buy something and the money goes to the good cause. But what really have we done? Added one more thing to our repertoire. I think this is just another ploy to brag about our good charity. Yes, the idea behind it is genuine I’m sure, but I won’t be hanging it up in my room any time soon.
March 17th, 2011 at 10:23 pm
Honestly, as long as people donate to the cause it does not really matter to me how its done. Of course manufacturing and selling the product hurts the profits which hurts the cause, but if selling a product is what it takes to help people then I say we should settle with it. Although, I do agree that I wish people could just donate to the cause directly, but if this method is one that works, then I say its good.
March 22nd, 2011 at 3:36 pm
I think this is very similar to the wristbands that people make for various causes. The idea for those started with the Lance armstrong wristband that everyone got all of a sudden. I don’t think there is anything inherently wrong with someone exploiting our desire to buy cool things like wristbands and posters to raise money for a good cause. Instead, I think that it is wrong and sad really that our society feels the need to buy a poster to donate money, because I don’t imagine that many of the people who bought the poster would have donated to Japan otherwise. The problem lies in the reason the poster works, not the poster itself.
March 22nd, 2011 at 7:01 pm
I find this terribly inappropriate. While I think making a promotional product to sell and raise money is a great idea, I think they could have used a better image. Putting a crack in the national symbol is equal to showing a picture of the flag in the dirt or on fire or some equally disrespectful thing, in my opinion. There are plenty of organizations taking up money to help Japan right now, and this poster makes it so that I would never give money to this organization. Using the national symbol in this way comes across as irreverent, not touching. When Japan recovers from this tragedy, I doubt they will want to be associated with this image, and I imagine more than a few Japanese people are and will be insulted by this.
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:36 am
I think the desire to have stuff (like the wristbands, like the RED campaign shirts) is rooted in both the excitement that comes along with new, trendy things and also the desire to demonstrate that a person has given to a good cause. I think people are just reeeeeally hard-wired to see cause and effect situations. If they give money to this person, they get a poster, which is tangible; if they donate straight to the Red Cross, MAYBE a life is saved, but that isn’t really calculable. I wish people could see that the need is far greater than the reward.
I agree with James about it not really mattering WHAT the thing is that people are buying so long as money is going toward Japan, but at the same time, the image they’re using the market the stuff is upsetting. The thing that is really getting me about this is how totally irreparable those cracks look, like hairline fractures in delicate china. I’m wondering if this image would be different even if they had put a band-aid over the cracks. That, at least, might imply that the damage can be fixed.
March 23rd, 2011 at 2:59 am
I just don’t even get it. Is Japan cracked? Is there lightening in there? It’s just a bad image all together. It makes little sense, and it doesn’t really do it’s job. The reason for the production of this poster is so people will buy it and proceeds go to Japan relief, so why not make it look good?
March 23rd, 2011 at 6:46 pm
I’m actually very surprised this poster didn’t bring in more money than $7000, considering the Red Cross’s fundraising reputation. I agree with Palvus; once you know what the poster represents, it becomes a constant reminder of tragedy and sorrow, and is indeed a bit grotesque for living room art. I think the cracks through the “rising sun” are eerie, and the whole poster just kind of creeps me out. I’d rather donate my money straight to the source, and not waste resources on printing a poster I’ll hide in the back of my closet.
March 30th, 2011 at 2:08 am
How does it compare to this the original one posted.
http://obeygiant.com/prints/new-print-for-japan-relief
August 3rd, 2011 at 11:56 pm
Title…
This is my Excerpt…
March 14th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Master Resell Rightsebooks…
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