No one seemed to know exactly what I meant. Some immediately thought of golf movies, and a heated debate about various versions of the Caddyshack poster ensued. Others thought I was talking about motivational posters... you know, the kind that aim to inspire with a vivid photographic image and a single succinct word. It seems many of those feature golf course panoramas.
When I explained that I was referring the kind of poster that actually advertises/announces a golf tournament, no one seemed to remember ever having seen one. The thing is, here in the US tournament posters seem to be... almost formulaic... a purely commercial afterthought. In France however, posters, including those made for golf tournaments and other sporting events... are considered an art form, and for each event, designers and artists strive to create something memorable.
The Poll is on the Fairways website and features photos of the posters to be voted upon. The only one most in the US will recognize will be the Evian Masters, but the group, as a whole, is visually quite stunning.
If you don't read French there will inevitably be details on the site you won't understand, however it's still well worth checking out. With golf becoming more global by the minute, some outside perspective... even if it's only in pictures... is definitely a good thing.
Advertising in Europe is definitely more creative/artistic than it is here. The magazine and the idea of a "best golf poster" contest are a reflection of that.
ReplyDeleteThat looks like a great golf magazine, with lots of sexy ladies involved. It makes me wish I could read French, then I could say "I like it because of the articles" ;)
ReplyDeleteA design studio called Group W has created some very nice "French style" posters for U.S.Opens. I have the Torrey Pines 2008 and it's lovely. The artist is Lee Wybranski. I'm not sure these posters were ever actually used to advertise the tournaments. I almost get the impression they were created for art as opposed to communication purposes.
ReplyDeleteThis is something I never gave much thought to, but there is not much thought or "art" put into many of the posters I see in and near a town for an upcoming tour stop.
ReplyDeleteI mean I think Shoprite put large posters in their store windows and, of course, putting pics of a number of LPGA stars certainly catches the eyes of casual fans. I'm afraid though some of the posters sprinkled about are only one cut above (insert charity) carnival here Thurs. thru Sun.
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ReplyDeletenew yorker magazine some time ago had a cartoon drawn at the same vantage point, from a tree looking down, with two birds on the branch next to an empty nest, and below a golfer in his stance over a round white object, with one bird saying to the other - " oh, well, there goes junior ! "
anyway be well
frankD
ftlauderdale, soFLA
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ReplyDeleteactually leroy neiman did some stuff from westchester years ago
the problem is not ARTISITC but LEGAL
you cannot reproduce, for any commercial gain, a likeness of a protected by license copyrighted image
just ask rachel uchitel
more familiar maybe, did you ever hear of a day care center being sued by disney to remove any image or likeness of a disney character painted anywhere on the day care centers facility ?
while neiman was okay with the westchester country club building as long as it was "commercially non-descript", each of the players have copyrights protecting their likeness or identifying image and if they have any other endorsements at all are prohibited by those contracts from agreeing to reproductions of any kind
since i've bored everyone, we will now return to our regularly scheduled festivities
cheers !
frankD
ftliquordale, SOfla
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ReplyDeletegolf growl,
i have seen those Lee Wybranski pieces and notice right up front is the disclosure that he was "commissioned"
i'm no expert in this area of law and commerce but that means to me someone paid anyone owning rights for the use of all images and references to an identifyable person or figure or image individually owned and copyrighted and licensed to allow it
another quick read might be that image of obama / change poster that was recently litigated as to who owned what
anyway be well,
frankD
ftlauderdale soFLA
I think an artist can create a painting of a sports figure and it's ok as long as he does not sell it. At least I would guess that is true.
ReplyDeleteI mean there is a huge business of "paparazzi-ism" that seems to be all "legal" for the most part. The trouble arises if the over-step their bounds or take pix of the children of the subject, etc.
Then again I could be all wet. And it's damn cold water and not the warm water (where you are Frank!!)