I have a love-hate relationship with the culture in Marin County, CA where I live. At times, the attitude of political correctness grates on my nerves. And yet, I agree with many of the laws passed by Marin’s eco-conscious citizens. Like the one passed in the 1970′s banning freeway billboards.
Just the other day I was on Highway 101 North, admiring the gorgeous green hills and appreciating a view unhindered by billboards. Coincidentally that same week I was driving south on 101 and passed a hillside floral display of an economy-size car driving over an orange bridge, obviously the Golden Gate.
I thought, “How cool, something fun and pretty to look at,” and made a note to point out the display to my daughter the next time she was in the car with me. I was mildly curious about who had planted the flowers and why.
It turns out the “floralscape” is an “ad” made of seasonal live flowers, and placed by Toyota through Greenroad Media. An editorial in the Marin Independent Journal was quick to criticize Caltrans for the display, which will help the agency save money in this abysmal economy.
I say lighten up Marinites and enjoy the flowers. And then consider the genius behind this innovative concept, hatched by Greenroad Media, and based on the ”Harmony Between Man, Nature and Machine,” branding campaign developed by Saatchi & Saatchi.
The display uses live flowers, no copy or visual branding (the car is an abstract version of the Prius), and a theme appropriate to the San Francisco Bay Area. The Toyota logo is printed on a small sign similar to signs put up for commercial sponsors of the highway clean-up program. The flowers are grown locally in eco-friendly pots, fertilized with organic fertilizer and watered using drought friendly techniques.
Not only do I not mind the concept, I like it. And no, I’m not from LA.
