Copied Design Now

The first photograph is the new print ad for Lucozade. The second photograph is the gorgeous photography for the V&A's China Design Now exhibition, created by North. The China Design Now stuff was created around August last year (I know, we pitched for the website in September) and the Lucozade stuff went up a few weeks ago.

Shameless, isn't it?

Thanks to Alex and Tom and everyone else who 'sent this in'.

Comments

[Mat Ranson]

It is. But is it the fact the second one has been ripped off so quickly after the first, or just the fact it has been ripped off which is so shameless? This goes on all the time. Most visual advertising is done by creatives who are basically pillaging the entire history of art for reference. At first glance I wondered if the China Design piece was ripped off itself, from Bruce Nauman:

http://k43.pbase.com/u/nichijin/large/640722.Dsc02192.jpg

But that was me jumping to conclusions just because its in neon. Plus, Farrow already ripped that off anyway:

http://sleevage.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/psb_fundamental_back.jpg

[Mat Ranson]

Dammit! Here's the Nauman:

http://www-tc.pbs.org/art21/slideshow/artists/n/nauman-sculpt-001.jpg?Log=0

[Mark Hadfield]

Aaah... the old 'they copied them' thread. Not the first I've read. Maybe you've copied from other threads? Or maybe just been influenced?

;-)

[mm]

this is hardly copying, IMHO. there's a slight similarity but hardly copied. besides, everything has been done already. if you think you've created something original and unique, odds are someone else has already done it.

stop being a drama queen.

[matthew Aubie]

I had to take a double look to notice how it was 'copied'. I don't consider this to be a rip-off. Everybody seems eager to expose copy-cats these days for some reason (just look at adsoftheworld). Basically if you use helvetica now you'll get heck.

[Loïc Boyer]

If you like this endless game, you should check Joe's blog:
http://www.joelapompe.net

[haracas]

Well it is quite copied, but they ARE advertisers. As far as it goes though, they didn't completely reuse the imagery so thats a bit better (to me, reusing imagery is the worst), although the composition and neon lights is quite a blatant ripoff.

[Tom]

Speaking of which, the recent Beroca ads are a blatant rip-off of the OK Go! videos...

[Bobs]

I dont have so much of a problem with this because I dont think the Lucozade ad has really gained anything by taking reference from the original, or taken anything away from it.

I dont think anyone would think 'wow, thats a great new idea for a poster, arn't they clever' (in fact it looks a bit rubbish I think). The concept of creating an image out of neon is rather basic and not something which North invented. What is a shame is that the designers of the lucozade ad have been quite lazy and have forgot to take the visual reference they found as simply 'reference', they used it as a guide instead of inspiration. They should be disappointed with themselves but no harm has been done I dont think

[Ellen]

Speaking of which...

http://www.creativereview.co.uk/crblog/flight-of-the-concoors/