Avatar A Bit Of A Disappointment?

An interesting article from the New York Times about the success of Avatar, which both exceeded and failed to meet expectations

MOVIES
‘Avatar’ Is No. 1 but Without a Record
By BROOKS BARNES
Published: December 21, 2009
James Cameron’s colossal space adventure opened No. 1 in North American theaters with about $73 million in tickets but fell short of industry expectations.


Read the full story here

Walt Whitman and his Levi's

Levi's Jeans has one of the best campaigns I've ever seen. I'll be bringing you some of the videos and promotional pictures over the next few days. Levi's, a most American of jean companies choose Walt Whitman, one of America's greatest poets to center their campaign around. The moving black and white footage covering many different parts of America from corporate America to shanty-towns and natural spaces. The result is a powerful, fun, poignant and artful commercial or 60 second piece of art.



the portion of Walt Whitman's "America" used
America
Centre of equal daughters, equal sons,
All, all alike endear’d, grown, ungrown, young or old,
Strong, ample, fair, enduring, capable, rich,
Perennial with the Earth, with Freedom, Law and Love,
A grand, sane, towering, seated Mother,
Chair’d in the adamant of Time.

Levi's America (Go Forth) commercial directed by Cary Fukunaga for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland using poem by Walt Whitman. The prints were photographed by Ryan McGinley.

P.S. While this post isn't titled "Is It Art?" it falls into the category, as people don't usually think of commercials as art. What do you think