WORK
Illustration & Design
CLIENT: Ecover
AGENCY: Chiat/Day, London
Background
‘Recycled Advertising’ was Chiat/Day's concept for Ecover and was based on the knowledge that—after a typical print run for a billboard poster campaign—a lot of sheets don't get used and just go to waste.
Tons of these surplus poster sheets were allocated for the purpose of creating new billboard posters from old ones. In this way, old advertising campaigns could be 'recycled' without contributing further to pollution, which also reinforced Ecover's commitment to environmental sustainability.
The brief
Including myself, 52 artists were commissioned to design, illustrate, and write copy for their own adverts and create a collage by cutting and tearing up surplus advertising sheets. The only other requirement was that the design must include an Ecover packshot and leave space for 'Recycled Advertising' to be stenciled onto each poster.
Artists were invited to assemble their posters at a warehouse in South London. The finished billboards were displayed at locations all over London, and for a moment, the campaign was also considered ‘London’s biggest outdoor art show.’
My own poster - ‘On A Mission To Save The Planet’ - was the only one put forward by Chiat/Day for Campaign’s Poster Awards 1992. It was also featured in the Phaidon design book ‘Graphic Agitation’ by Liz McQuiston (see below).
The 96 sheet size billboard poster in London's Whitechapel
Poster selected for Campaign's Poster Awards 1992 (unfortunately, pipped at the post by Jazz FM)
The campaign and poster is featured in the book, Graphic Agitation, by Liz McQuiston
