Zara, the global Spanish clothing retailer, has been accused of stealing designs from over 42 independent artists. Some pieces in question are almost direct copies, but these indie artists feel like they have no chance against a major corporation. Zara has further suppressed these artists’ calls to stop plagiarism by blocking their collective effort, Shop Art Theft, from commenting on their social media accounts.
Zara's damaging practices need to be called out, and these campaign pieces are meant to act as an amplifying call to action for Shop Art Theft. By directly comparing the original artwork to Zara's renditions that are minutely changed with sections of my self-made pattern, the evils of a major corporation that has stolen from independent artists can come to light.
A set of posters was created with stolen pieces that happen to carry punchy phrases to allow independent shop owners and studios to hang them in their spaces to band together in the Shop Art Theft movement. On each poster, the original artwork sits on the background of a primary color while Zara's copy is on a secondary.
Social media graphics would be made freely available for individuals to share and create visual support as a digital community.
Canvas totes and mugs were made to fit supporters' lifestyles and cater to how they would most likely engage with advertising specialties. These assets can also be featured in additional digital posts that share the message of the Shop Art Theft campaign.