VSA’s creative work for Converse’s (PRODUCT) RED advertising campaign debuted in the July 2007 issue of Vanity Fair, guest-edited by Bono and devoted entirely to the topic of Africa.
The initial ad, featuring hip-hop artist and actor Common, launched a wave of marketing in support of (Converse) RED merchandise. Entitled “Weapon of Change”, the campaign featured irreverent messages and bold illustrations encouraging consumers to be optimistic rebels and agents of change.
Shot on location in Los Angeles by photographer Bryan Adams, the campaign includes black-and-white photography with an illustrative overlay, giving it visual depth that plays on the graphic nature of blank canvas expression. The advertising appeared in Complex, ESPN, Fader, Rolling Stone, Spin and Vibe. Out-of-home, wild postings and bus shelters in Common’s hometown of Chicago, as well as Los Angeles and New York City, expanded the campaign’s reach.