Scrambling for Clients

In case business owners didn't realize promoting themselves was good for business this mailer was sent out to prospective and existing clients. Craig or John had this Seussean poem and they thought it would fit the flier perfectly. Hey, even if the business owners didn't choose to advertise in the Daily who could help but adore the folksy, "down on the farm" poem? (Below is an alternate drawing for the flier and, of course, the Jeff V. "real life" version).

CRAIG ADDS:  What I recall most about this what my fervent belief that this was a dynamite promo idea (What cash-strapped business wouldn't be persuaded by a clever poem to plunk down money for an ad?) and how I made it my mission to bring it to life exactly as I pictured it in my mind -- only to see it ignored and unmailed by every single account exec in the office.

The one we've been waiting for: King Koupon!!

(Or at least, the one most of us have been waiting for. I suspect that Jeff J., not working at the Daily during this period, probably regards with with the same distanced amusement that I feel about say, the first Trench Malloy Coupon Bonanza story.)

Although, we didn't have the foresight to have video cameras recording the moment for posterity, I suspect this issue began with a tossed-off notion from Jeff, whose fascination with the big ape goes back to least age 12. 

What I find most fascinating though, is our post-modern approach to story-telling, using faked bits of "found narrative" and a collage-style layout.  I don't remember any particular source we were "aping" with this.  It could be one of the most creative ideas we came up with:

(Klick to read all the klever kopy.)

As promised, here are scans of the actual photos used, including my National Enquirer-worthy photo composites.)

(This shot, the Old Sea Captain's shanty, I believe was shot in the basement of the Daily building -- it's not the third floor men's room, though it may look like it.)
King Koupon rises up over Northrup Hall.  Note the body language of the four, all apparently unphased by the prospect of a 50-foot tall primate looming over them.)

Of course, that's John inside the gorilla suit, having the time of his strait-laced life lurching around campus in complete anonymity.  I seem to recall him saying hi to one of his professors (Bob Jones?) we passed on the mall, who absently just greeted him back without bothering to wonder who was behind the mask.

Along with Bruce in his Trench Malloy trench coat and Jeff in his Sea Captain getup, that's Trish (one of the two female art directors in our little department) in the white.  The remaining woman is John's youngest sister, forever known to us as Miss Matchbook, for some forgotten reason John's going to have to fill in.

And that's where our story ends...for now!  (Takes a lot of scanning.)  Watch for part 2, coming soon!

"Take this, human!"

(Click to enlarge)

Disney's movie "THE FOX AND THE HOUND" supposedly was to be the first animated feature of the studio's new age. As it turned out that title went to "The Little Mermaid" a few years later but the bigger question, one that still eludes me, was why grown college guys had a poster for the former flick hanging in their creative office. As Craig M. mentioned in an earlier post we were, however, always looking for some movie to rip-off for a Coupon Bonanza cover and I had felt the Disney film was ripe for ripping. Staying true to the movie poster (perhaps Craig can find that online) I rendered this... but for obvious reasons it didn't fly and we went with 'The Coupon Zone' instead.

CRAIG ADDS:  Since Jeff requested, here it is for comparison:

A few more recollections:  As you might guess, Jeff's prospective cover was titled "The Fox and the Coupon," and somewhere on it, he had penciled his version of the actual poster's themeline, something like,

"The story of two friends who didn't know that one of them was redeemable at various outlets around town."

Along with his other perversions of the Disney poster ("Dammit, Chief!"), for some reason, I always thought the sight of the owl throwing her unborn children at the farmer's wife was hilarious.  (Maybe it's just me...)

Ticket to Mirth

Post college, after we'd all gone our separate ways Craig took it upon himself to organize an official FFG reunion (at Bullwinkles, of course) and sent out these... tickets. Maybe they were just fliers or reminders but their diminutive size and off-white color gave the impression they were admission tickets. As memory serves, we all met and had many conies and a lots of beer.... but the mind reels at how if, just like on Gillligan's Island, one of the tickest had been lost in delivery or, worse still, Jack Ohman had intercepted John's ticket and now we'd be palling around with him!

CRAIG ADDS:  I think I got that typeface on loan from "The Mary Tyler Moore" show.  And what's with that guy's nose?