I’ve long been interested in the power of branding. In how our bodies are used by corporations to advertise products and lifestyles along with them. In how we sometimes use branding and flip the meanings–one of the reasons that University of Michigan sports paraphernalia sells so well is because youth use the colors as gang brands. Racial politics are embedded in this process from the moment a corporation decides what type of niche market they want to attract, to the point of sale where someone takes the brand and either transforms its traditional meaning or decides to go along with it.
Take a look at Hank Willis Thomas’ work. I assue you that you won’t look at branding the same way.
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