Shepard Fairey's subversive 'Obey' graphics are powerful because of their vague (obey whom?) but clearly political overtones (he's depicted Stalin, Mao and even Bush). Now he has turned his attentions to Barak Obama, and the man he believes stands for progress and hope. The results have been amazing--the first run of limited edition prints sold out in 15 minutes and now he is looking at expanding his pro-Obama efforts.
Implications - Shepard Fairey said that he finally thought it was time for him to show his support for someone who has what he calls the "potential to be awesome." He hopes that people will stand behind Obama all the way to the White House, not because he wants them to, but because they too believe in Obama. Fairey tells people, "don’t vote for Barack unless you think he’s the right guy."
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Subversive Graphics
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop new subversive graphic designs to communicate political messages and social commentary.
- Limited Edition Prints
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the creation of limited edition prints to generate exclusivity and drive consumer demand.
- Political Activism Art
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create art that supports political candidates and movements to engage and inspire individuals.
Sectors Adopting This
- Graphic Design
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize graphic design principles to create visually impactful messaging for brands, organizations, and political campaigns.
- Art Printing and Publishing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop innovative printing and publishing methods to produce limited edition artworks and increase collectability.
- Political Advocacy
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilize art as a medium to amplify political messages and engage individuals in political activism.
