Bacardi and graffiti art are not an obvious partnership. However, with both their emphasis on innovation as a common thread, they worked together to highlight street art and celebrate the launch of Bacardi Superior Rum Elixir. The Graffiti Alive installation is the first Graffiti showcase put on by Bacardi Superior Rum Elixir.
Graffiti or street art has been around for quite some time, but it is commonly represented as the lesser-known staple of hip-hop culture, along with Mcing, DJing, and Breaking, as one of the four main elements.
Recently, Bacardi’s Graffiti Alive competition put a bright spotlight on this art form with a live Graffiti Installation running over a two-day period. Gathering crowds watched as the Fox and the Fiddle’s North wall was used as a blank canvas by some of Toronto’s most talented Graffiti artists. They came together to first compete and then collaborate on a 27-by-17-foot mural of Bacardi Superior Rum.
The competition began with Graffiti artists from around the city, each having a half-hour to give their version of the Bacardi Superior Rum Elixir. However, this was not well received by a few of the artists. Certainly, time constraints are not uncommon for Graffiti artists. Let's face it: making your mark on public property can be restrictive. However, the space limitations and material restrictions placed upon the artists were not the boundaries they were expecting.
Many expressed frustration over a lack of creativity. One veteran graffiti artist, Duro, explained it as such: “It’s like writing a resume in 10 words for this artist.”
The first round produced work that was adequate but not quality Graffiti. A few artists were understandably disgruntled, obviously torn about making some cash versus selling out or allowing corporate types to hijack their culture. Angel said it best: “I, hustle for the cash; they hustle for the flava.”
And yes, Bacardi certainly got flavour, with a mishmash of styles and motifs all within the confines of the Bacardi logo while showcasing each artist’s unique talent. According to the event organizers, the completed mural will continue with the explosive elements of the current Bacardi Superior Rum advertising campaign.
Each artist wanted their piece to stand out, so each piece exploded with colour. Where designs were restricted, they tried their best to bring out individuality with edgier tags.
In the end, despite initial clashes of corporate and artistic interest, eight deserving artists were picked to complete the mural at the Fox and the Fiddle. The image now on the wall is of a towering bottle bursting forth with Bacardi Elixir, a representation of a photo from the advertising campaign.
Brand Manager Lisa Jazwinski says the mural represents Bacardi’s vibrant and experimental nature, but it also represents the evolution of Graffiti Art. Corporate interest in graffiti may indicate how relevant the art form is despite its lack of prominence. Bacardi’s Graffiti Alive competition proves just how much life, passion, and creativity go into street art.
