94 Pineapples for the GenPets Code

For the past week or so, I have been haunted by these eeky freaky little creatures. They have snuck into bed with me and curled themselves into the back-part of my skull and have otherwise made my skin crawl. Why? Because they are gross.

But, in other news, the marketing team is a troop of fricking geniuses. After doing a little researchario, I learned that Genpets are the creation of a Canadian mixed-media sculptor named Adam Brandejs. These Puppies of the Corn were originally part of a larger show, held last summer, called Pulse (thanks We Make Money Not Art).

But then they reemerged on the ad blog circuit in a big way last week.
The lull makes me desperately curious.

The buzz around the blogosphere is that this is a big hoax, but these artistic roots make me think Adam Brandejs is one smart self-marketer.
His site reads:
!! Saw or heard about Genpets through TV/Print/Radio? Please contact me (they don’t…) and as a 24 yr old artist, knowing about this press is REALLY important for my CV. Thanks.

I don't quite believe him. His site is the third hit on Google when you search for "genpets," so he's far from flying under the "zygote micro injection" radar. Did Bio-Genica really just steal his idea and start mass-producing, or this is one brilliant publicity stunt by the artist himself? Or was this a fair idea buy-out and Adam is just pissed that the corp is now incommunicado? [Adam, please tell us you got a patent??]

In any case, it's very well done.
But the Media Kit is almost too well done... unless that kid hugging the genpet is just naturally wicked freaking creepy.


*Photos courtesy of Bio.Genica-- I thank you, even though you confuse the shit outta me.


UPDATE: Because I can't leave anything well enough alone, check out my 6.25 post on BMA for resolution to this icky madness... ahhhh.