Pretty much most of the city seemed to be sponsored by Coca Cola. Street Signs and shop signs had seemingly been donated in return for sponsorship and brand exposure. I didn't photograph any explicitly, although one can be seen in the background of the derelict building on, "Toledo Pussy."
They are black and gold and say Coca Cola in large letters with the name of the street or shop beneath much smaller. What a load of cock. The local council should be ashamed of themselves. Ok, so maybe they are not a cash rich council but one of their priorities as a tourist city should be to provide decent signage. Coca Cola obviously saw a gap in the market and some marketing suit saw a way to slip right in and get the brown fizz on the minds and lips of the thirsty tourists.
What's more the city of Toledo, after a while, just seemed like on prostitite, pimping out the El Greco and medieval vibe.
El Greco (born Crete 1540's) was a painter who settled and worked in Toledo in them old dayze of Art. There are a few museums dedicated to his work but the town sure as hell pushed this one out. On one hand, there's nothing wrong with banging your biggest drum, but it would be nice to hear the sound of a few others too. But what pissed me off most was the fact that in the Jewish quarter, and pretty much every where else too, EVERY shop was the SAME. Seriously! They all sold replica crusader/knight/holy wars type garb and swords, Moorish and Jewish replica plates, candlesticks and the likes and as the usual keyring, brooch and pen branded stuff. Didn't anyone tell them about "unique selling points" or USP's as I believe marketing men call them! I wasn't going to waste my time illustrating this point with a photograph but hey, surely the council can run some kind of business diversity programme? Or judging by their keenness to allow Coca Cola to brand the town, I guess not!
So....
I was relieved to find some older buildings with some individuality and character. Shame this one went out of business! Seems selling the same shit as your neighbour may actually work!
The "B" logo reminded me of the same font used by Bewley's Coffee house of Grafton Street Dublin. I liked this sign too. There are some great fonts and typeface design going on in Spain. At least they retain a lot of heritage here. In Madrid, there are still stores trading under the same signs that they used in the 50's and 60's. I will photograph some soon.
This brings me to the way that fashion and style seem more socialist in Spain. By this I mean that the retailer does not always (on the most part - not) feel the need to excessively tart their store and fittings up just because they are selling "designer" goods. I have seen pretty boring and mundane looking places selling Alexander McQueen and Burberry. Aside from the brand's carried, there has not been a lot to distinguish them from someone selling middle of the road fair. I like the way that the consumer chooses what they want based on a level playing field. In other words, you choose what you like (and can afford).
Marketing gimickery in the UK and US would see so much spent on shop fronts, fittings and the like to create an "aspirational" look. Aspirational! What a load of cock. In other words what they mean is they want low and middle earners with credit cards to get into debt by appealing to their weaknesses such as vanity and the need to fit into a (false) form of elevated society dreamt up by ad men and even, "creatives". Yes, even you photographers, graphic designers and copywriters are to blame for perpetrating this modern day lie. Who wants to be sold a lifestyle that does not really exist? Not me. And I'm not about to see my work become another spoke in this wheel of shame...
So basically, I like the idea that you just choose based on product. I've always fancied the idea of de-badging a few designer brands and mixing them with some designer-maker and high street stuff in a tarted up gaff and seeing what the "designer" fraternity think without being guided by badges. But down get me wrong....I wear Dior & Westwood too!
On a lighter note, here's a typical Toledo (side) Street. Note lack of branded stores! haha!
This door knocker was pretty cool I thought...
These ladies seemed like twin sisters out for a walk in similar brightly coloured trouser suits. I should have chased them and got some better shots but it was so hot, my camera bag was so heavy and I had been walking up and down steep hills all day...I was a bit moody!
Toledo's Cathedral. Once, the most important in Spain.
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