Graffiti Goes Commercial

The New York Post reports that McDonald's has enlisted the legendary graffiti team Tats Cru to develop wall murals designed to appeal to urban Latino customers. While it's great to see street artists develop businesses around their work -- Tats Cru has also done commission work for Coke -- this raises some interesting questions.

Does the mainstreaming of graffiti makes it a less legitimate artform -- especially as many cities continue to crack down on writers? And does the use of graffiti best meet McDonald's marketing needs -- when one Fast Company reader recommends that the company should refocus its attention on children, its historic customer base?