ADSLAND PARK: IN 2012, IT SOUNDED LIKE A DYSTOPIA FOR EUROPEANS.
Dernière mise à jour : 20 sept.
In 2012, I imagined Adsland Park. The concept was deliberately provocative, especially through the eyes of a Parisian advertising professional at the time: creating a theme park entirely inspired by the world of brands.
As a lifelong theme park enthusiast, I saw this project as the perfect creative laboratory to bridge two worlds. The premise was simple: what if the ultra-rich narrative universes created by certain brands (like Coca-Cola’s Happiness Factory or Oasis's crazy fruits) became physical worlds that the public could finally step into? This project tapped straight into the emerging trend of Advertainment: the fusion of Advertising and Entertainment that sought to reinvent how we communicate.
A uniquely French cultural skepticism
At the time, reactions were mixed to say the least. In France, we cultivate a deeply protective view of culture and entertainment, often keeping it tightly sealed off from direct commercialism. Historically, our relationship with theme parks took time to mature. We all remember how, when Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, it was famously branded by some intellectuals as a "cultural Chernobyl." In that context, openly linking "mass consumer brands" with "theme parks" felt almost sacrilegious. Critics saw it as the ultimate expression of an aggressive commercialization of leisure: a giant shopping mall disguised as a ride, or worse, a brainwashing machine for children.
Looking back, this typically European caution was perfectly understandable. Yet, nearly fifteen years later, it is clear that the lines have shifted. What was perceived as a dystopia in 2012 has now become an industry standard, wrapped in much smoother marketing terms: brand experience, strategic partnership, activation, or branded entertainment.
The Logorama Case
Logorama, the short animated film by French collective H5, criticizes our consumer society. By twisting 3,000 logos into an disturbing and enjoyable movie, it shows how advertising invades our lives. Praised worldwide, this satire made a massive impact and won an Oscar in 2010. Ironically, this anti-brand rebellion now serves as the backdrop for the project Adsland Park's "Logorama City."
A modern intuition rooted in a century-old history
In truth, the concept of a branded attraction didn't start with my project, far from it. The North-americans understood this potential long before us. As early as 1906, Milton Hershey created Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, transforming a simple picnic area for his factory workers into a powerful immersion vehicle for his chocolate brand. Later, in 1982, Disney pushed this logic to its absolute peak with the opening of Epcot at Walt Disney World, where major pavilions were entirely funded and co-scripted by corporations like Kraft Foods or General Motors.
Europe took time to follow suit, but the cultural shift is now undeniable. The most striking example today is the massive expansion of Karls Parks in Germany. This concept, built entirely around a strawberry jam brand and fruit farming, is rapidly opening highly successful regional theme parks. It proves that the European public has completely embraced and validated this model, provided it is executed well.
Beyond sponsorship: the triumph of storytelling
The true lesson of recent years, and what I was clumsily trying to conceptualize with Adsland Park, lies not in the mere presence of brands, but in how they tell their stories.
Adsland Park was never about putting a giant logo on top of a roller coaster. Simple brand sponsorship didn't interest me. What fascinated me was asking: “If this brand universe actually existed, what would it look like, and what would guests experience inside it?” The brand was no longer just displayed; it became the driver of the storytelling, the backdrop, and the main character of the adventure.
It is precisely this distinction that has triumphed on a global scale. Consumers ; especially the younger generations ; massively reject intrusive advertising and slapped-on logos. On the other hand, they love living memorable experiences and immersing themselves in powerful narratives.
A logo is not an experience.
The future that so deeply worried our French mindsets in 2012 has arrived, but in a form that the public genuinely celebrates: a successful narrative integration where the brand no longer forces itself as a commercial, but is explored as a cultural product in its own right.
Fabien Manuel.
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