Some people love comedian and actor Russell Brand because of his funny movies and stand-up act. Some people love him just because he loves Katy Perry. But we at Postconsumers love Russell Brand because he created “Buy Love Here,” a temporary swap shop (even saying the words “swap shop” makes us happy) in Los Angeles’s posh Beverly Center.
Buy Love Here was a pop-up swap shop that was set up in order to facilitate a documentary about the pursuit of happiness. (Hello, Russell Brand, could you please come promote that same idea via Postconsumers?) In the swap shop, visitors could trade anything that they had, including the clothes off of their backs, for items that they wanted. No money was exchanged (or accepted) and items were “new to you” or “reused” as they went to happy new homes. To spur activity, Brand populated the store with items from celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Katy Perry.
Said Brand, in a phrase that made us swoon with love, the idea behind the social experiment was to raise debate about the scale of consumer culture and to promote the re-use of products in a surplus society.
Can he please be our boyfriend? Or at least our spokesperson? Who has a phone number? Or an agent number?
Brand’s swap shop was a one-day event that was designed to draw publicity. However, the idea is a repeatable one, not just by Brand and his crew but also in towns and homes across the nation. Clearly, Postconsumers believes that the scale of consumer culture is out of control and that we’re living in a surplus society. We’re here to give you tips and advice on incorporating that belief into your daily lifestyle both through this blog as well as through the interactive handbook.
