Gods of Advertising

Van Gogh’s newest bedroom

There is so much I like about this concept I don’t know where to begin.

The idea: To celebrate the Art Institute of Chicago’s new exhibition bringing together all three of artist, Vincent Van Gogh’s iconic “Bedroom” paintings, the museum has joined forces with Airbnb to create a stunning real application of Van Gogh’s evocative boudoir, which people soon can actually stay in for ten dollars a night plus the price of exhibit tickets. Good luck with avails. Thankfully, a detailed display marking the renovation is currently available for viewing and is blowing up social media.

Rightly it should. Look at what they’ve done. Inspired by an idea from Chicago advertising agency, Leo Burnett (my alma mater!) and the media agency Spark, brought to life via the uncanny efforts of Ravenswood Studios, the result speaks for itself. We can’t believe our eyes.

This is truly a multi-dimensional “campaign,” employing so many weapons in the modern marketing arsenal: advertising, promotion, PR, experiential and social. They all come together here -flawlessly. So much so, I wouldn’t know which category to enter this in at Cannes. Doesn’t matter. It could and should win in all of them. The idea has an “it” factor we rarely see in any category, let alone all of them. Honestly, in concept and execution, I think this idea blows every ad on the SuperBowl out the proverbial (albeit slanted) door.

What I also love is its timelessness. The 21st Century evoking the 19th. Technology made something so very analog: a celebration of an oil painting and a bedroom! From oldsters to hipsters, who won’t dig this? Who wouldn’t want to experience it?

From the Chicago Tribune article: “It’s sort of crazy how excited people are over the project,” said Glenn Ragaishis, who oversaw the room’s fabrication at Ravenswood Studio, the Lincolnwood firm that, more typically, builds sets for Lyric Opera and other theater companies.

Yes, crazy. Crazy as the artist himself. Crazy good.

The Chicago Tribune article linked above has a photo gallery. Here is another story from Adfreak.