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Coachella is not just a music event but also space where enthralled fans make beautiful memories with their favorite artists. The time of year is the most looked forward to because of the fashion trends that come out of the event. Be it tiara, choker or nose rings, a lot of great trends have come into focus because of Coachella and this year, DASH TWO and Rareform are joining the fashion trail to bring something fresh and “green”.
Billboards lining on the road to Coachella are popular photographic spots but considering that every year, the old billboards are replaced with the new ones, a lot of plastic waste is generated. To keep outdoor advertising alive and to overcome the issue of plastic pollution, DASH TWO has collaborated with Rareform to release wearable items made out of Coachella’s billboards. Sounds interesting?
We talked to Gino Sesto, the founder of DASH TWO and Aric Avedissian, one of the founders of Rareform to know more about this unique endeavor. Check out the complete interview below:
Hi! Can you please introduce yourselves to our readers?
Gino: Gino Sesto, Owner, and Founder of DASH TWO. I have been in Media Buying for over 20 years now. Historically I have worked heavily with the music business due to my love of music.
Aric: My name is Aric Avedissian and I am one of the founders of Rareform
How did the idea of ending plastic pollution with repurposing Coachella billboards into accessories come about? What ultimately led to the collaboration between DASH TWO and Rareform?
Gino: DASH TWO has always wanted to do something with Rareform and the Coachella Billboards because they are so unique and we do so many of them. And they look so cool! This year we had to do it. We had so many Billboards this year we had to do it.
To what extent, in your opinion, will repurposing billboards help reduce the pollution?
Gino: Each Billboard Vinyl weighs about 58 pounds. With the number of Boards we are doing this year at Coachella we are doing something significant. Anytime we can reuse it’s a win.
Aric: Billboard material is made of three different kinds of plastics that we are unable to break down to be recycled, so the only options are either throwing the material in a landfill or repurposing into new items, which is where Rareform comes into play. Each month Rareform repurposed 20,000 pounds of material.
It’s quite interesting that the Earth Day is coinciding with your endeavor. How do you feel about it?
Gino: I’ve always been a very green person.I owned a Honda Insight in the early 2000’s before anyone knew what a hybrid was. I believe we have one earth, let’s save it.
Considering that setting up a billboard do consume resources and that a lot of promotional activities have shifted “online”, why do you think we still need billboards at events like Coachella?
Gino: Billboards are a great compliment to digital advertising. I feel they thrive off of each other. I also feel that doing just digital is a fools game also doing just outdoor is a fools game.
In the light of present scenario where a lot of focus is being given to “digital advertising”, how do outdoor advertising contribute to the promotion of an event? Does it hold the significance like it used to do 5-7 years ago?
Gino: Outdoor is cool again. People want to do creative boards to get posted on socials. In a way, digital has brought new life to outdoor media
In terms of products, what all can fans expect from the collaboration?
Aric: Totes, Backpack, and duffle.
Below are some “mock-ups” that Rareform shared with us. These are just to give the readers an idea how the company is trying to incorporate the billboard design into wearable pieces. These are mere representations and actual products will have a different look.
How soon can we expect products to launch the project?
Aric: Around the beginning of June.
How affordable will it be for the music lovers to buy the products from Rareform?
Aric: Totes are anywhere between $40-$60, Backpacks are around $100 and duffles are around $80.00
Do you have an update or project that you would like to share with our readers?
Aric: We are repurposing Patrón billboards into different items for them at this time.
About DASH TWO
About Rareform
The wearable items will be made available in June. So, get ready to notch up your style with DASH TWO X Rareform collaborative pieces. Are you excited to try the items out? Share your thoughts via tweet @Fuzzable.
