ADSLAND PARK - VERSION 2

PERSONAL PROJECT​

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"When I first laid the foundations for Adsland Park in the early 2010s, people often looked at me with a mix of fascination and skepticism. An amusement park entirely dedicated to brands and advertising? To some, it sounded like a capitalist dystopia. For me, it was quite the opposite: a massive, blank artistic canvas, and a total reinvention of both entertainment and marketing.

As an art director, my daily life revolves around telling stories and sparking emotions. And really, what is more deeply rooted in our popular culture than great advertising icons? We all grew up with the M&M’s characters, the humor of the Oasis fruits, the boldness of Red Bull, or the magic of Coca-Cola's Christmas campaigns. These brands are part of our collective memory, our visual heritage, and our emotional history.

My idea with Adsland Park was not to create a giant shopping mall or force people to consume. The goal was to flip the traditional advertising model on its head. Instead of enduring an intrusive commercial in the middle of a movie or on the side of a road, the public would actively choose to live an experience. Marketing became the show. Imagine a roller coaster launched in the colors of Red Bull, an immersive dark ride through the quirky world of Oasis, or a retro village celebrating the mascots of the post-war boom years.

For brands, the concept offered a unique opportunity: renting space to build a major attraction, which could be updated alongside their campaigns. It was a virtuous economic model where private funding allowed us to offer cutting-edge technology to visitors. I designed this project with passion—drawing up blueprints, imagining themed hotels, and meeting with the biggest players in the theme park industry, from Compagnie des Alpes to executives at Disneyland Paris.

Even though the project ultimately remained a concept and no roller coaster car ever left the station at Adsland, I regret nothing. This concept pushed boundaries and opened up a fascinating debate about the place of advertising in our society. Adsland Park proves that imagination knows no limits, and that even the commercial world, when treated with boldness and creativity, can become a source of pure magic.

Would you like me to adjust the tone of this translation (for example, making it more formal or more poetic), or do you need help drafting other materials related to Adsland Park?"

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Fabien Manuel

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Skills: Art direction - Design and Concept Art