19 Crimes and Mugshot Branding: Reappropriating Convict Narratives to Sell Crime, Criminals and Experiences

In 2011 a Californian company launched 19 Crimes -- an Australian-made wine range whose labels displayed images of convicts and wine corks imprinted with one of ‘19 crimes’ that was punishable by transportation to Australia. Since its introduction to the market, 19 Crimes have marketed their product widely, adopting a variety of immersive and entertaining strategies, including developing Augmented Reality (AR) experiences for each of their labels. This article examines 19 Crimes’ selection of, mainly, Fenian convicts and the narratives presented to consumers through AR experiences to promote convict imagery and notions of ‘rule breaking’. From the analysis it is clear that a form of cultural hijacking has occurred, where convict images and stories celebrate rule breakers and success stories. Through this process, the traditional, State owned ‘mugshot’ has become a popular culture spectacle that is commodified for the purposes of entertainment and, essentially, encouraging ongoing consumer practices.