Prop designer Jean Louis Von Dardel creates odd objects for ad agencies and they really get the message across. His works combine the ingenuity of an industrial designer with an aesthetic and humorous sensibility of an artist. His props are often everyday objects that are given a surrealist twist through aesthetic manipulation.
Von Dardel’s humorous manipulation of everyday objects illustrate the messages of the advertisements they are part of in a very obvious yet enjoyable way. Some of his more notable props are a solid-gold toilet paper roll for an IMF add, onomatopoeic-shaped rackets for a tennis tournament add and a form bent into a hand peace sign for a Swedish cooperative supermarket add
He has created many ice cream props for GB glace -- Sweden’s biggest Ice-Cream company. His ice cream props for the company often includes elements of they’re original flavors and makes them into ice-cream hybrids. For example, he slices a Popsicle to reveal it’s apple-like interior or adds a branch and leaf to a Popsicle stick.
Von Dardel’s surrealist props make the advertisements they are a part of obvious enough for anyone to understand at a glance, yet creative enough for a wide audience to appreciate its simple humor.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Surrealist Advertising
- Using surreal objects in advertisements to create humorous and visually striking messages.
- Aesthetic Manipulation
- Applying artistic and aesthetic sensibilities to everyday objects to transform their appearance and communicate messages.
- Hybrid Props
- Creating props that combine elements of different objects to represent complex concepts in a simple and engaging way.
Where This Applies
- Advertising and Marketing
- Opportunity for ad agencies to incorporate surreal and humorous props in their campaigns to capture attention and convey messages effectively.
- Prop Design and Manufacturing
- Developing innovative techniques and materials to manipulate and transform everyday objects into visually striking props for advertisements.
- Food and Beverage
- Exploring creative ways to present food and beverages by incorporating surreal elements and unconventional aesthetics in packaging and advertising.
