A friend was telling me about the excerpt from Banksy’s thoughts on advertising (which are actually Sean Tejaratchi’s thoughts) that has been rolling around the internet lately. Without having read it I really found myself disagreeing with the idea. After reading it I disagree even more.

Banksy points out that because advertising is “teasing you” and you did not ask to see it then you are free to co-opt that imagery as you see fit. You can ignore the copyright of any and all advertisers and re-use that material in any way you want.

What!? First of all, this only makes sense if you are Banksy or Sean Tejaratchi and routinely engage in the reproduction of copyrighted work. Seeing as most of us don’t do that, and don’t really want to do that, the idea that we have a “right” to do it seems more a justification for them than any sort of freedom being granted to us.

Let’s pretend I hate advertising. Imagine me shaking my fist at a billboard for Transformers 2. I read this little manifesto and I get inspired! I take a bunch of imagery from Transformers 2 and I make a ‘zine called “Transforming Into A Car Is Kind of Stupid.” It’s a hit! I sell a bunch! Then Michael Bay sues me. I tell the judge, “But Banksy told me I have that right.” And the judge says, “Oh, Banksy was lying to you. You have to pay Michael Bay $20 and give him your ‘zine so he can use it as the basis for the new Ninja Turtles movie he is making.” So now I’m out $20 and I’m shaking my fist at a billboard of the Ninja Turtles.

Advertising pays for content. Public advertising subsidizes the costs of property and services like buses. Most advertising is stupid. Some of it is really good. Saying that advertising is mean to you and is the equivalent of a rock thrown at your head is an attempt to justify illegal actions by trying to convince us that the laws are not fair. We already regulate signs and advertising. There are a lot of limitations and anyone who wants to get involved in the process would likely run into the problems of trying to regulate commercial communication and the complications of that issue.

I don’t believe Banksy hates advertising. He couldn’t even be bothered to write about it. He just chose to re-work Sean Tejaratchi’s article into a justification for his mockery of Burger King (“They started it!”). A lot of people have real problems with advertising and many of their arguments I agree with. I just don’t believe this one. Imagine me shaking my head at Banksy.

My friend James Voges, who I met during the sensational first season of Ultimate Blogger, recently emailed me regarding some truly wonderful favorite products. He has allowed me to share his email with you.

Mr. Merrill,

Though it has been a long time since we have corresponded, I still consider you a good friend and you are often in my thoughts. There are two things in particular that often draw my mind in your direction, and I thought it was about time I shared them with you. My favorite tie, and my favorite All Purpose Lotion.

This gold tie is by far the best tie I have ever worn. I purchased it for 55$, making it the most expensive piece of clothing I wore at my wedding. Despite the fact that it got horribly stained at the bottom during the wedding ceremony, I still wear it every opportunity I get. My previous favorite set of ties were dark red with tiny white dots. I’ve worn these ties for years, so switching to gold was a big change for me, and I am very happy with the results. I have always appreciated your ties, especially those in pink, but I would highly suggest switching to gold for particular events. Maybe whiskey tasting? Discussing the prices of precious metals?

The second item is one I have searched for my whole life. As a small child I was obsessed with a small trial bottle of perfume my dad had in his closet. He seldom wore it, but the scent stayed with me for many years regardless. I have never been a man to wear cologne. In fact, I abhor most scents! Especially those designed for men (or even worse… unisex). It wasn’t until I returned to the states last summer and walked into a outlet mall cologne store that i realized why. No scent could ever live up to the majesty of Bayrhum. This mix of aromatic spices and bay leaves is a completely different approach to the male scent. The whole line of Royall products is exceptional and unique, however Bayrhum is clearly its most outstanding success. Unlike traditional ‘colognes’ and ‘perfumes’ this is a multi-purpose lotion to be used as aftershave, lotion, or just a tingling head-wash. The scent is diluted and subtle enough that you can liberally splash it on, without any risk of being to aromatic. I would highly recommend switching to one of these products. I plan to buy it in bulk myself and make a lifetime commitment to it. This scent is somehow manly, yet very distinctive from other mens scents. I just learned while browsing Brooks Brothers online, that Royall products are also available there! So there is a good chance that you may already have tested them.

As a man of great character, style and class, you may be one of the few men our age that would appreciate these two things as much as I do. So it brings me great joy to share them with you.

Thank you for you time,
Mr. James Robert Voges

No piece of mail is quite as exciting as the BRUIL & VAN DE STAAIJ plain brown envelope that arrives twice a year.

FANTASTIC MAN, the Gentleman’s Style Journal.

This is the 2012 Spring/Summer issue with Mr. Matthew Slotover on the cover, and containing tips on managing your money, interviews with various fantastic men from around the world, and beautifully presented fashion and style.

I like to read just a bit of the magazine at a time in order to make it last as long as possible, but I can’t help flipping through to get a quick sense of what is inside.

You can pick up your own copy here in Portland at Stand Up Comedy.

I like to imagine the meetings between the fine men and women of Brooks Brothers and their counterparts at Keds as they emailed, had meetings, went out for drinks and meals, drank coffee, and stayed late in the board room pouring over color swatches and calling for chinese takeout.

The end result is a classic summer shoe that I can’t even wear here in Portland for another month. (Unless I take a another trip to Los Angeles.)

The texture on these reminds me of the Army-issue summer weight uniform I wore in Alabama made of ripstop. Ripstop is a fabric made of nylon that uses a special weave that is resistant to tearing. It was originally developed for parachutes.

My favorite part is the branding. Beyond the usual markings for Keds there isn’t anything on the outside that is overly showy. All the fun is left for the inside of the shoe, where they add the classic tie-stripes and the Brooks Brothers branding.