Low hanging fruit hurled at religion in controversial new poster campaign
The modus operandi of Eshe, a Kiwi streetwear clothing company that was started in 2008, is to take things back to the glory days of skating counter-culture; to slaughter a few metaphorical sacred cows. And it’s managed to inspire some fairly contrived controversy with a combination of sacrilege and old-school Garbage Pail kids imagery with a new poster campaign in Auckland.
Not surprisingly, in a similar fashion to the more restrained and intelligent atheist bus campaign, the publicity stunt posters (if you’re feeling particularly confrontational you can also wear these prints on your person or buy the prints) featuring ‘Pedo Pope’, ‘Hole E Christ’, ‘Brainwashin’ Brian’ and ‘Tick-Tock Mohammed’ have created a bit of a stir. And, given the events that transpired after the Danish newspaper published a cartoon with an image of Mohammed, it seems either gutsy or foolish (or both) to tempt fate again in this way.
According to the Eshe website, the company is “inspired by 90’s skate culture, street art, music and the golden age of free thought, Eshe uses the graphic medium, along with a seditious sense of humour, to shine a light on the absurd and irrational”.
Judging by this campaign, Eshe thinks religion obviously falls into that category. But, while the art work is actually pretty cool, it could also be shining a light on its own absurdity at the same time.
According to the Herald, the posters were designed by Eshe’s owner Kennedy Poynter and they were produced in association with muckmouth.com, a skateboarding website partly owned by Leighton Dyer, the boss of advertising agency Rascals, which is no stranger to controversy itself.
Peter
August 30, 2010
Just bought 2 of these shirts. I like the Brainwashin Brian one! Great article Ben.
Hugh Mungus
August 31, 2010
Let me shit on religion so you'll buy my crappy T-shirts. Wow – that's like so cutting edge.
Mike
August 31, 2010
Really? Obviously the hope is that these (and the brands) gain some kind of worldwide attention, pretty easy in light of the Danish 'Bomb in the turban' cartoon. Some degree of self censorship is needed, things like this cause very real offense to loads of people around the world. The Danish cartoons resulted in over 100 deaths (alleg') and put Danish soldiers in real danger in Afganistan. We have people in Afganistan, guys who have spent years building up relations and goodwill. Will this put them in danger? Probably not, but it is irresponsible and selfish all the same. I'm not religious and I find the Islamic reaction to many things to be backward and ignorant, but last time I checked there were millions of them.
Rusty
September 1, 2010
When are we going to run out of things to shit on hope-ing that
it will encourage people to buy shit. When are we going to get tired of hurting each other?
Peter
September 3, 2010
"Some degree of self censorship is needed" – thats right. Can all those superstitious nut jobs who keep knocking on my door, thinking I give a toss about their religion, stop causing "very real offense to loads of people around the world", who are like me and think Religion is Garbage
Yelspal
September 3, 2010
Is storm in a tea cup – with ambition. But good point raised above. All things Danish were associated with the "offensive" mohammed/terrorist cartoon and if the NZ presence in Afganistan (for example) was targeted due to this contrived juvenile rubbish there would be real kiwi blood on their hands.
William M Hicks
November 2, 2010
Believe or die, thank you Lord for all those options.