Yes, ads get their very own museum in Paris. Unsurprisingly, it’s sleek, shiny, and (judging by the current exhibition) heavy on the visuals, light on the intellectual/historical analysis. There’s no permanent collections; instead, the whole space (about 10 rooms) is devoted to special exhibitions. The current one is on public service ads – posters of famine victims, digital projections of commercials about domestic violence, employment discrimination, drunk driving, etc. The poor guards are huddled in the hallway, trying to avoid hearing the looped audio for the five thousandth time.
There are English translations of the signage, but unless you understand the French of the ads themselves, it’s probably a frustrating visit. The ads themselves are interesting (admittedly, I’m someone who watches the Superbowl for the commercials), and sometimes revealing of French culture. For example, there’s been a government-sponsored public service campaign since the ‘50’s to encourage people not to drink between meals. Also, French “use condoms!” ads take a far different approach than their American cousins: one notable commercial I watched featured, thanks to the miracles of computer animation, a buxom naked woman crouching inside of a giant condom, riding around in a sea of swimming penises. Ummm… awkward.
