Venus and the art of publicity

Posted at 9:35 AM on February 23, 2011 by Bob Collins (3 Comments)
Filed under: Arts, Marketing and advertising

There's always some sort of billboard mystery in the Twin Cities. Is this one an actual example of graffiti vandalism or a clever publicity gimmick?

It involves a billboard in Minneapolis promoting the Titian and the Golden Age of Venetian Painting exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

Someone covered up Venus:

The Los Angeles Times uncovered the attack on a tip from the -- wait for it -- publicist for the exhibition.

(h/t: Eyeteeth)

Update 9:56 a.m. 2/24: Two things. First: Those aren't the same billboards. Second: "This was no publicity stunt. It happened. A NY PR agency was in conversation with me that morning about something else and we were talking about it. It was also put out on social media by some members of our staff. It was no gag devised by us. Just to make it clear to you," writes Anne-Marie Wagener of the MIA.

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Comments (3)

Whoever tweaked the billboard...they're no Banksy.

Posted by Tyler | February 23, 2011 10:24 AM

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Oh come on, who else do you think the LA Times would get their info from? They're going to go to the museum! That doesn't mean the MIA did it. Must be a slow day over at MPR...

Posted by Shaylyn | February 24, 2011 9:30 AM

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If you don't mind, could you quote me saying "the *MIA* did it?"

Posted by Bob Collins | February 24, 2011 10:02 AM

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