Public Story
Communications & Public Space
1,667
Andrew Bossone
Photographer
Communications & Public Space
Location: Jordan
Nationality: USA
Biography:
Â
1 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Ingram shaving cream and razors is a well-known
brand primarily manufactured in Alexandria. It mostly
produces the single blades for straight-edge razors used
in barber shops and cream from a toothpaste-like tube.
The first picture attempts to create a window frame for
the ad with the impression the two men are looking at it from their position. Other photos would change the perspective completely, revealing that they are not really looking in the direction of the ad, and that beneath the ad is a torn-up sidewalk in front of a juice stand. Nonetheless, the ad is relatively iconic and distinct, particularly in its neighborhood, because of its bright colors. A nearly identical ad was observed north of downtown Cairo. The ad is also unique in that it has a cartoonish appeal. Ingram as a company has existed atleast since the 1920’s under the ownership of the U.S. pharmaceutical firm Bristol-Meyers, but has been owned by the UK-based cosmetics giant Lornamead since 2000.
2 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Unlike the photo of a statue nearby of Mustafa Kamel this photo makes statue of Mohammed Farid appear diminished in size by making it enveloped in its surroundings, particularly with various ads around it. The perspective of the ad also gives greater prominence to the Goldi ad then it actually has, because it is taken from an angle that makes it easily seen, whereas commuters would have a difficult time seeing it because of the flow of traffic and the building in front of it. The manufacturing company of Goldi home appliances is Bahgat group, today a large conglomeration of companies in Egypt.
3 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
An ad for Al Kasr furniture in coloring blending with the architecture, like the ad in the background for a company called Wikala. A mosque is to the right.
4 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Calpeda water pumps: The ad for the Italian water pumpcompany is located on the busy Qasr El Nil street leading from Tahrir Square past the Egyptian parliament. The photo shows a woman on the rooftop sweeping, a reminder that many poor people in Cairo live in places they should not, but lack alternatives. Rooftops are the mixture of public and private. They are exposed to the public, but as a place of residence they become private at the same time. Most people on the street, however, cannot look into the rooftops, but only those located high enough can gaze upon them. The small size of the woman contrasts the large ad.
5 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
An ad for the cheese brand Le Vache Kiri. It was once banned from Egypt when former President Mubarak was given the nickname "the cow." The photo highlights the colors of the ad and its surroundings. Shadows were darkened to emphasize the outline the young boy talking on the phone while balancing a bread basket on his head. The photo also reveals men walking in the background to place the ad in its context. Two other small ads of a political candidate and a doctor can be observed near the middle.
6 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
An ad lacking creativity, but quite clear: go there to drink tea. Unfortunately, whatever shop existed when the sign was created hassince been shuttered. The sign is on a building next to the entrance to the Mohamed Naguib metro station.
7 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
The trendy clothing company Mexx entered Egypt in the 1990’s before many other brands came.The photo gives the appearance that the ad ishidden by trees, but it is actually easily visible from the roundabout where it is located between Tahrir Square and the Nile.
8 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Sport Cola, apparently a brand owned by Canada Dryintroduced in the late 1960’s that was eventually bought out by coca-cola. The ad makes clever use of the architecture by placing a bottle on each sideof the facade. The photo, however, gives it more prominence to the ad than it has when viewed from the street. Below the building is a petrol station with a bright sign that overwhelms the ad on the building.
9 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
An ad for the Tang powdered drink near the main train station of Alexandria. It is visible from the exterior of the station. It’s placement close to the balconies seems to give the impression that the tenants may be consumers of it. The balcony to its right has an awning for Lipton Tea. The messaging is simple: Tang tastes like real fruits. Also note the small boy below it who gives the ad its large scale.
10 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
An ad for Mitsubishi automobiles and its Egyptian dealer Masriya. The ad uses asimple design, and yet its most important icon, a car, has nearly peeled off completely. The photo envelops the ad into the blue of the sky to give less prominence to it while giving more to the building architecture and the rich color of the sky.
11 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Krash Cola, a defunct cola brand of another era. The photo gives the appearance that the statue of the anti-imperialist and Egyptian nationalist Mustafa Kamil Pasha is looking upon the ad. The photo was slightly retouched to remove the shadow on the statue’s legs to highlight its details. Although the ad is quite large, the perspective makes the statue appear almost the same size. The coloring of the window on the wall takes on a somewhat cartoonish quality.
12 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Stella: One of the few public advertisements for alcohol in Egypt. Stella is Egypt’s most well-known beer, not to be confused with the Stella of Holland. It has been managed by the state-run Al-Ahram beverages, which was bought out by Heineken in the 2000’s. The Stella ad is above a mosque, ironically, but situated downtown where the vast majority of bars–albeit rundown–in Cairo are located. The street of its location, Mansour, was once traversed by Cairo’s elite, who would have attended the now-closed theater next to the ad. Several cheap cafes are on the opposite side of the street as popular places for police officers due to its proximity to the Interior Ministry.
13 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Al-Mohandes Lil Taamin (Engineer Insurance), one of Egypt's most well known insurance companies. The ad is quite faded and uses somewhat classical typography, with a yellow background similar to the color of sand. Below is a blue riot police truck and a woman with a blue hijab. The location is close to the Interior Ministry, on a street with several cheap cafes that policemen used to frequent. Note the section of a worn out ad on the right. The photo was edited to make the colors stronger on what appeared as a dull building.
14 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Magi Chicken, a popular brand of bouillon cubes. Its logo is somewhat well-known, making it recognizable without the faded words of the ad. This one is near achurch off of Talaat Harb Square and visible to pedestrians and commuters going into the square. Other similar ads exist elsewhere.
15 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Coutarelli cigarettes: The ad gives the sensethat the brand is foreignwith French words and an Italian name transposed on the bottom and Arabic at the top. The company was in fact Egyptian and formed in the 1920's in Alexandria. The Italian name probably means the owner came from Alexandria's Italian community. The company was thriving well into the1940's, but following the Egyptianization law that required a certain number of native Egyptians at companies and nationalization of industries in the 1950’s it may have become state-run and either closed or given a new name.
16 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Tahrir Coca-Cola: A few weeks before the January 25 revolution in Egypt, Cairo Governor Abdel-Azim Wazir made an unexpected decision: all of the billboard advertising in Tahrir
Square and other historic areas in downtown Cairo would be
removed because they were considered eyesores and could
damage historic buildings. The decision to remove billboards was never implemented, except in one place: Tahrir Square. Unknowingly, the governor of Cairo had initiated the first step in a process of reclaiming public space that Egyptians are still fighting today as they face laws restricting public gatherings and speech. The billboards are no longer there, but a few others later appeared in the square.
17 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Opera Bridge: One of the examples of a modern advertisement in Egypt in this project. The decision was intentional; this photo points out a few observations. Firstly, the banners are spread frequently, in similar fashion to commercial banners on crowded thoroughfares. Secondly, it is of a cultural event at the Opera House, commenting on the commercialization of culture. Thirdly, it located on a popular bridge to walk upon and the banner in the front is written upon by someone, asserting a citizen’s claim over the public domain.
18 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
The photograph has two primary icons: the international pen and lighter company, Bic,and the Egyptian flag. The photo is taken from afar, in front of a government building.The bic ad is hardly noticeable from the street, so the picture makes it more clear than from street level. The photo was also taken from a top of a cement roadblock, making it appear near eye-level. The flag is deliberately in the foreground with an imposing government building behind it. Another flag is draped from a balcony to the right.
19 of 19
© 2024 Andrew Bossone
Photos & Captions
Le Vache Kiri: One of the more interesting ads for its symbolism. A young womanis at the top of the ad with a bull beneath. Both may imply fertilityand the Spring season. The photo attempts to capture that feelingwith the brightly colored flowers in the foreground. The letteringof the ad is quite faded and is relatively lost in the picture. The adis severely damaged and is barely noticeable from the street.
Close