At least according to the press release below for their new book VIRUS: The Outrageous History of Gyro Worldwide.October 6,2008(Philadelphia, PA)- Gyro Worldwide is pleased to announce the release of VIRUS: THE OUTRAGEOUS HISTORY OF GYRO WORLDWIDE. Released through Gold Crown Press, Virus is the culmination of Gyro’s 20th anniversary celebration. The book’s author, Harriet Bernard-Levy, a celebrated French cultural theorist, chronicles the birth of the infamous agency and the mastermind behind it all, Steven Grasse.
Presented in a 168 page hardcover book, the tale is woven through historic references and iconic visuals. Bernard-Levy frames the Gyro story as a business epic, the tale of an unknown Philadelphia ad agency that taught the world to “sell out” and, in so doing, laid the foundation of America's cultural and economic hegemony for the 21st century. Given unprecedented access to the archives of Gyro Worldwide and the Grasse family, Bernard-Levy unlocks the secret Philadelphian formula that brought the hipster ethos to the masses.
In the book, Bernard-Levy stakes claims about Gyro inventing viral marketing, while also launching careers of such notables as Spike Jonze, Doug Aitken, Quentin Tarantino and Dayton and Ferris.
From Virus: “Spike Jonze, the legendary auteur responsible for the blockbuster motion pictures Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, began his filmic odyssey directing commercials for Gyro Worldwide.”
“Before Doug Aitken became one of the world’s foremost video artists, Gyro chose to collaborate with him on some highly successful work for Budweiser. Now you’ll find his work at solo exhibitions in art capitals the world over.”
“The Rosa Parks of hyperviolent, hypersexualized genre flicks, Steven Grasse and his Bikini Bandits films paved the way for directors like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, and films like Grindhouse. What began as Grasse’s side project evolved into a cultural juggernaut that forever changed our collective notion of cool.”
“Before receiving a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival for their award winning feature film Little Miss Sunshine, director duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Ferris cut their artistic teeth shooting Puma spots for Gyro Worldwide.”
Steven Grasse says, “ The desire of other advertising agencies to stake a claim in Gyro Worldwide's brainchild, viral marketing, harkens back to biblical times when neighbors would covet a more successful neighbor's ass.
In laymen's terms, popular culture is a melting pot filled with hearty chunks of subcultural niches and flavored with the spices of mass appeal. Gyro Worldwide is the fire beneath this pot and the ladle that stirs it.”
Author, Harriet Bernard-Levy notes, “Gyro Worldwide was the first to capitalize on the latent sexual forces running through contemporary proletarian subculture.
The combination of feminine beauty, loud rock music, street art, classic tattoos, and intoxicating beverages may appear obvious, but this appearance of obviousness belies Gyro Worldwide's hold on the popular consciousness.”
Get it on Amazon.
1 comment:
While they didn't invent the disgruntled former employee, they seem to have perfected the art. I know more of their "punk rockers, hip-hop artists and skateboarders" who wound up thinking Gyro sucked out loud, left and returned to their old jobs as bicycle mechanics, messengers and waiters with a new appreciation of how shitty a job can really be.
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