Ironic Print Ads with Pop Culture Reference?

September 19, 2010 10:52 PM

Can anyone suggest good examples of ironic/self-referential (e.g. perhaps they acknowledge their own advertising purpose) *print* ads (or perhaps billboards) that also use some kind of popular culture reference (could be movie/music/trend/celebrity/subculture etc.)?

We know there are many TV spots like this out there, but we're finding it difficult to find print examples...

All tips are welcome but pop culture references recognizable to a US audience would be particularly useful...

Thanks so much for any suggestions!!

posted by zresearch to media & arts (5 answers total)

Can you give an idea or example of what you are talking about?
posted by andoatnp at 12:13 AM on September 20, 2010

At work at the moment so its hard to search but the magic word that may help you Google this is 'postmodern'.
posted by Ness at 1:44 AM on September 20, 2010

I'm not sure if this is what you're after but here in Sunny New Zealand there's a brewery ("Tui") which has a series of billboard ads (known as the "Yeah Right" ads) which are, I think, what you're looking for !

Take a look and judge for yourself http://tinyurl.com/38w7yg5 (slightly strange interface float your mouse over the grey mini billboards scattered around the map).

You have be current with NZ current affairs/slang to understand some of them ("I could do that" has a more specific meaning than you might immediately assume).

Your profile doesn't say where you are in the world but on the assumption you're not a kiwi if you are interested I'm sure I (or someone else) can translate them for you.
posted by southof40 at 1:56 AM on September 20, 2010

which are, I think, what you're looking for !

... errh ...

which are, I think, examples of what you're looking for.
posted by southof40 at 2:01 AM on September 20, 2010

hmm... I don't think I phrased the question very well and then I lost track of this as other things piled up at work.
Thanks to everyone who had a shot though!
posted by zresearch at 8:06 PM on September 28, 2010