LONDON, August 7th, 2007 – Canon Europe, world-leader in imaging solutions, today published the results of a psychological report which found that despite the rising number of Europeans living in towns and cities, the average European yearned for a more rural and peaceful lifestyle. The report, commissioned by Canon as part of its We Speak Image fashion campaign, analysed over 13,000 images taken by members of the European public to celebrate their national identity.
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Images submitted of nature and the environment far outweighed those focusing on technology and urban life and this theme of nature over industry was common across the 17 participating countries. Psychologist Dr David Lewis said: “The emphasis on the beauty of nature suggests that an ever increasing number of Europeans yearn for a simpler, rural lifestyle, perhaps as en joyed by their parents or grandparents.” The report also revealed an almost total absence of traditional images, such as flags, national monuments or landmarks. “The surprising lack of symbols of state power suggests that Europe, at least as presented by these images, may have abandoned many of the nationalistic attitudes which led to two world wars,” Dr Lewis said. But despite this common ground, distinctive national identities were apparent between countries: CzechRepublic - A nation with an underlying ambiguity about where the country is now and where it’s heading in the future Denmark – A nation that feels their country is rather special and in many ways stands apart from the rest of Europe France – A sophisticated and civilised nation which imbues almost every aspect of life with passionate creativity and style Germany – An assured, confident and optimistic nation, seeking to build their future carefully and confidently Italy – A vibrant, passionate and sensual nation whose citizens unashamedly enjoy all aspects of life and live it to the utmost of their ability Russia – A country in transition, pulled in different directions between a yearning for times past, and a hunger for the benefits and pleasures of the modern world Spain – A nation with great flair, but beneath the public optimism and confidence there lurks a pessimistic view of life, that even on the brightest days dark forces may lie not far beneath their nation’s glittering surface UK& Ireland – A country generally confident and optimistic about its place in the world with only slight nostalgia for times past, but still retains its core values of decency, tolerance and determination
In August, the most popular images from each country will be given to a leading local fashion designer - including Matthew Williamson (UK), Jean-Charles de Castelbajac (France), Elio Fiorucci (Italy) and Sisi Wasabi (Germany) - who will use the images to inspire a ‘national’ fashion collection, created with the help of Canon’s state-of –the-art imaging equipment. The collections will be showcased at London, Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, and made available to the public via exhibitions and events across Europe from September. James Leipnik, Chief of Communication and Corporate Relations at Canon Europe said, “This is a fascinating insight into the hearts and mind of Europeans. What is most interesting is that despite our many different languages, we are still able to communicate – universally and instantly – through the power of the image. We are eagerly anticipating the next phase of the project which will see these images inspire Europe’s leading fashion designers and celebrate Europe’s cultural diversity and sense of style.” Media enquiries, please contact: William Hart / Lisa Boustead
Nelson Bostock Communications
t. +44 (0)20 7229 4400
e. william.hart@nelsonbostock.com / lisa.boustead@nelsonbostock.com
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