Earlier this year a group called Glimpse dedicated to using the power of creativity to transform public spaces into oases designed to make people feel good, began a Kickstarter quest to fund their goal of replacing all the menacing, mercenary ads in a London tube (what we call a “subway”) station with claw-some pictures of pooties.
Well, it didn’t look promising for quite some time. Even though they had joined forces with Battersea, the UK Animal Rescue Center who offered up their shelter cats as models for the project, they were barely over halfway to their goal of raising £23,000 (about $30,500) with only a few days left.
But fur-tunately they came up with the claw-some idea of forming Citizens Advertising Takeover Service (CATS) wherein each person pledged a minimum of £100 (about $132). All totaled, more than 680 backers ended up pledging £23,131 (about $30,845) to transform a London tube station into a shrine with images of the Internet's favorite creature. (Hell, let’s be honest here – cats are one of the main reasons the Internet was created.)
One of the 68 posters lining the walls features cats sent in by members of the public. In fact, one of the pledgers even flew in from Virginia to view their beloved critter in the poster.
The Citizens Advertising Takeover Service replaced 68 adverts in Clapham Common tube station with pictures of cats. Organisers say they hope the pictures will help people think differently about the world around them. Credit: CatsnotAds.org
So on Monday morning commuters who usually start the work week feline depressed took an extra few mew-ments to enjoy all 68 pootie portraits lining the walls and escalators at the Clapham Common Tube Station that left them with paws-itive cat-titudes!
So paw-lease, have your tickets ready to pass through the Clapham Common tube’s gates and enjoy their mew-nificent creativity:
The Citizens Advertising Takeover Service replaced 68 adverts in Clapham Common tube station with pictures of cats. Organisers say they hope the pictures will help people think differently about the world around them. Credit: CatsnotAds.org
The Citizens Advertising Takeover Service replaced 68 adverts in Clapham Common tube station with pictures of cats. Organisers say they hope the pictures will help people think differently about the world around them. Credit: CatsnotAds.org
On the serious side, Glimpse founder and #CatsNotAds leader James Turner said:
"We tried to imagine a world where public spaces made you feel good. We hope people will enjoy being in the station and maybe think a bit differently about the world around them. Instead of asking you to buy something, we're asking you to think about what's really valuable in your life. It might not be cats, but it's probably something you can't find in the shops."
And Battersea's head of catteries, Lindsey Quinlan added:
"We're thrilled that Battersea cats are among the stars of these posters. We care for over 3,000 rescue cats a year, so hopefully this campaign will encourage lots more people to visit our centers and consider rehoming our fantastic felines."
In the meantime, the #CatsNotAds team is not resting on their laurels. They’ve already begun planning their next "takeover" project. Entries can be submitted at CatsNotAds.org. Take a guess what the current frontrunner is?
The Citizens Advertising Takeover Service replaced 68 adverts in Clapham Common tube station with pictures of cats. Organisers say they hope the pictures will help people think differently about the world around them. Credit: CatsnotAds.org
The Tweet has a short, 34-second video tour of the station:
https://twitter.com/hannah_gelbart/status/775273912800247808/video/1
BONUS
Here’s map of the London Tube system – see if you can find the Clapham Common Tube Station:
RESOURCES
http://weglimpse.co/catsnotads/
All the Ads in This London Subway Station Have Been Replaced by Pictures of Cats
This one also has a video – but you have to belong to Facebook (I don't) to embed it, but it's viewable to all
16 Responses to “Friday Fun – London Tube Station Revamped to Purr-mote Paws-itive Cat-titudes”
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HOUSEKEEPING QUESTION:
Currently I usually post the photos “Full Size” – which takes up quite a bit of real estate.
While WordPress allows you to post photos formatted to open in a separate window, they do NOT permit it to be a new window.
That means that if I post smaller sized photos, but format them so you can open them in a separate window, it will then require you to use your back-button or similar return protocol to get back to the post.
So the question is, would you rather they be full-size to start (as currently formatted, which I thought would be easier on all of us whose vision is compromised) – or smaller taking up less space, but w/ the option of viewing them full-sized in a separate window which will then require you to “return” to the post by some means?
If the picture is over 750 pixels wide, then resize it. Otherwise, just post it full size. We can save space by compressing them, but just leave that part to me. I have already compresses the pics in this article.
CAT is where it's AT!!
Cross-posted to Care2 at http://www.care2.com/news/member/101612212/4010985
(Yes, I'm back safe, thanks!)
Science has proved that looking at pictures of cats lowers blood pressure and increases productivity and creativity. I expect wonderful things from this program!
A couple of the articles addressed the positive aspects of having cats in our lives. But I tend to shy away from the science/techy stuff for "Friday Fun".
And I'm a "Cat Person" who can validate the positive impact of having a critter – even a feral one who's given me cellulitis!
Some of the science/techy stuff might be good for another article. I am sure I would enjoy it.
Thanks for cross posting. I definitely believe my blood pressure would be throught the roof without my cats.
How absolutely wonderful!!
Thank you, Nameless for this, and Joanne for cross posting.
Thanks, Nameless, I love it. I am a cat person, too, but also a dog person, bunny person, opossum person,etc. But cats are my favorite. They are no nonsense, will not put up with any bull, and always honest. They can also be amazingly creative and funny. Too bad people are not more like cats.c
Some beautiful kitties there and a really marvelous idea ~ except for one thing ~ they are quite obviously discriminating against pooches. I protest!
I'm smitten with all the kittens!
Such a wonderful idea!
BTW, The Clapham Commons Tube station is on the Northern Line (black) between Clapham South and Clapham North stations, near the bottom centre of the map.
DING! DING! DING!
We Have a WINNER!
PS – I always did get a kick out they make the Thames flow at a 45/90 degree angle. They removed it from the map for a bit – but I think it's back. Anyone know for sure?
(It really is a damn good working map – especially WITH the Thames)
Very Cool!