Reportage aims to give readers and viewers the impression of being there; we consume news because knowledge of goings on in faraway places grants us the illusion of actually participating in significant events. The most famous photojournalistic images either capture something so momentous or historic that they make us forget that we weren’t actually there when it was taken. The well-known “Kissing Soldier” photo is one such image; although the woman didn’t know the man at all, we’ve constructed a national narrative about a love story that never happened. We make the news our own the moment we consume it.
A brilliant ad campaign developed by Lowe South Africa and for the Cape Times newspaper is successful because it addresses this need to feel close to the news, to place it within a more personalized context. With the tagline, “You can’t get any closer to the news,” the newspaper reconstructs famous images as selfies. Adding a modern twist to print reportage, the ads feel immediate. It feels like Kate Middleton and her prince tweeted us their wedding photo just moments after that kiss.
Thanks to Adweek
Images via Adweek
