People Are Like Fleas

Fri, Mar 13, 2009

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Adverts aren’t usually much to get excited about and often they’re an irritating nuisance. A lot of the time you don’t even realise you’re absorbing what they’re trying to tell you; they just nibble away at your attention like so many fleas. Occasionally, though, an ad is smart enough to give you a different perspective on things – like this giant floor sticker in a Jakarta shopping centre, which seems to pose the question: who are the real parasites in the bigger picture?

In Indonesia’s capital, advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi has, in the words of The Cool Hunter, “taken interactivity and creepy-crawliness to a new, flat level” with their latest creation for pet emporium JAKPETZ: “Viewed from the upper levels, the people walking on the ad look disgustingly flea-like, and the scene elicits constant reactions that sound something like ‘yikes!’” It’s a good thing humans can’t jump 200 times their own body length.

This post was written by:

Karl Fabricius - who has written 270 posts on Environmental Graffiti.

Karl was raised in Wales and now lives in Bristol, though his family tree branches to both sides of the Atlantic. Besides holding an English MA, he’s made a documentary on grassroots boxing, played – and still plays – drums in punk rock bands, and travelled some cool parts of the globe. He’s currently an editor and writer scribbling about things worth scribbling about – specifically the environment and all things bizarre.

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rabbit Says:
March 17th, 2009 at 1:12 am
Very clever… It’s even more visceral for your average Indonesian because in the Muslim parts of the country dogs are at best unfamiliar and at worst fearsome and disgusting.

Anyone know which mall this is?
Cat Flea Treatment Says:
July 10th, 2009 at 12:51 am
I have never really thought of ads as being like fleas, nibbling at you and before you know it, you dont know what bit you…nicely done i must say.

Social life has too many parasites, almost every has that brother, sister, relative or friend who wants to munch of somebody, its a pity that these people cant jump out their situation at least two hundred times their body length.
Connex Enviromental Says:
September 22nd, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Thats is a great pic. Ive been looking for a pic like that for my website where did you find it.

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