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September 15, 2005
Warm Greetings and Marketing
Let's take a short break from all the horrible news in the world to observe a new(?) element of our material/media culture:
Max Racks is a site where you can send e-card greetings that are, in fact, advertisements. We ain't talking nifty greeting cards that have a subtle sponsorship tag on them somewhere. These cards are commercial messages -- and nothing but.
Somewhat reminiscent of "GoCards," those sponsored, free postcards you find in urban bars, these ad-cards range from ads for movies and gallery openings, to Campbell's soup, sneakers, and shampoo. There are also public service announcements. (Max Racks has apparently also been a GoCard competitor for urban bar shelf-space since at least 1997).
Some are (deliberately?) surreal. Like this one, for the Washington State Lottery.
I just don't understand why anyone would use these to send an e-greeting. It would be kind of like sending someone a photograph of an ad on a New York subway car and writing "happy birthday" next to it. I suppose this could be some kind of way-after-the fact Warhol-blowback curiosity or something (if that makes sense to anyone but me). I don't quite know what to make of it.
Speaking of Warhol, however, for me this site functions more as an e-gallery of oddities (much like our own Gallery of Commercial Weirdness) than a repository for cards I might send to anyone. Whoever put this together is an artist is an artist, but doesn't know it. Like a 21st century accidental Duchamp installation, brought to you by Dow.
Okay, now I'm just rambling. Go to Max Racks and look at their crap.
Posted by MJuhre at September 15, 2005 10:30 AM