innovation + adaptation

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), "Transnational organized crime is considered as one of the major threats to human security, impeding the social, economic, political and cultural development of societies worldwide. It is a multi-faceted phenomenon and has manifested itself in different activities, among others, drug trafficking, trafficking in human beings; trafficking in firearms; smuggling of migrants; money laundering; etc........"

Evidence brought up from this particular case points towards
the establishment of an efficient operation, innovation and
adaptation..... 

 The UNODC report goes on to explain that,

"As globalization has expanded international trade, so the range of organized crime activities has broadened and diversified. The traditional hierarchical forms of organized crime groups have diminished; replaced with loose networks who work together in order to exploit new market opportunities. For example organized crime groups involved in drug trafficking are commonly engaged in smuggling of other illegal goods. The links between drug trafficking and other forms of transnational organized crime calls for a more integrated approach to address this nexus." 

This particular smuggling tunnel, located along the
 U.S.-Mexico, includes perks such as air conditioning and electricity. 

In the words of globally recognized fashion designer, Calvin Klein:

"People have told me about organized crime in the fashion industry, but I can't talk about that. I'm looking to stay alive."  ~ C.K.

"Counterfeiting finances organized crime. It's in the terrorists' utmost interest for you to buy counterfeit products." - CNAC (National Anti-Counterfeit Committee)

This advertising campaign is a fascinating attempt at taking an incredibly complex, multifaceted issue - such as financing political violence - and raising consumer awareness around such issues. Call me crazy but something about these images seems to be lost in translation...........

Do Advertising campaigns have the capacity to responsibly display (conceptually and artistically) such deeply loaded issues that traverse murky social, economic, cultural, ideological and political backwaters that inform the imaginations of the consumer consciousness?

In terms of illicit markets, counterfeit 'luxury' goods may occupy one of the more 'tame' realms. However, evidence suggests that the production and sale of counterfeit items (such as the ones pictured above) is in fact used as a major fundraising mechanism for not only transnational organized criminal groups but also for terrorist organizations.  

http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/cnac_national_anticounterfeit_committee_watch