Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Artistic Value of the Phanatic
The Galapagos Islands native and fuzzy green face of the Phillies has been transformed into immortal form with 20 fiberglass statues of his likeness being placed around the city.
The 5-foot-tall, 100 pound statues have been painted by local artists, each with their own original designs that have been inspired by everything from Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” to Frankenstein. The unveiling of the statues yesterday marked the beginning of the “Paint the Town Red” week in Philadelphia. During the week leading up to Opening Day, the city has launched many inventive marketing plans over the years, but nothing like this.
In fact, this is the first time a Major League Baseball mascot has been used for a public art project. Of course, using the Phanatic was an obvious choice. The start of baseball season ignites this city, especially with their recent success. And, according to the Phillies, the Phanatic is just as popular and identifiable with Philadelphia as cheesesteaks and soft pretzels.
The placement of the statues will spotlight local attractions and distinctive neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia, such as Historic Philadelphia, Center City, Fairmount, and South Philly. The locations are even using the promotion as an opportunity to provide special offers and discounts for people who wear red or Phillies gear during the launch week. While the discounts may not last the whole summer, the Phanatic statues will, standing tall on their home plate-shaped pedestals through August. For a full list of where you can find him, check out the VisitPhilly “Paint the Town Red” page.
The combination of the baseball season and historic places in Philadelphia was a really smart campaign for the GPTMC’s latest launch. Philadelphia has always been known as a sports town, and I have never met a person who doesn’t like the Phanatic, let alone someone who doesn’t absolutely adore him (Tommy LaSorda, you do not count). By using local artists and opening up the selection pool to anyone who submitted an idea, the campaign accomplished an authentically locally-generated promotion. In years past, the week dedicated to the Phillies didn't do much to generate buzz, but this year's inventive launch has Philadelphia locals excited. In fact, Visit Philly (and various Phillies-centric blogs) is encouraging fans to send in their pictures with the artistic installations.
This year’s “Paint the Town Red” week has provides a winning combination that may be their most successful. By motivating locals to employ their creativity and show their support for their beloved Phillies, the weeklong launch of baseball season moves beyond discount coupons and giveaways. This is one public art project that is on-track for victory.
- Mia SpadoniTweet
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