PUTNEY SWOPE - Truth and Soul Inc. (re-post)

PUTNEY SWOPE (1969) This film, a satire directed by Robert Downey Sr., puts a subversive spin on a portrait that became increasingly prevalent during the 1960s: the adman as soulless peddler. The plot is centered on a token black man on the board of an agency who is improbably promoted to chairman. He renames the shop Truth and Soul Inc. (somebody's gotta use that) and insists on dropping all accounts for products like tobacco and toy guns.

“I’ve been supervising the war-toy account for 12 years,” an executive complains, “and let me tell you something: Deny a young boy the right to have a toy gun and you’ll suppress his destructive urges and he’ll turn out to be a homosexual — or worse.”

Fun fact: “Putney Swope” was filmed in black and white, but the commercial parodies appear in color. The best is for an imaginary acne remedy, which a girl praised this way: “My man uses Face Off. He’s really out of sight — and so are his pimples.”

That's right Robert Downy Sr. https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png

Old School Coca-Cola: Gladys Knight

This spot is lovely! They should bring it back. Just feels good. That's Gladys Knight and the Pips, Bubba and the other two, let's call them Otis & Melvin (sounds like classic R&B group member's names, right).

** Idea!** Somebody should redo this with Beyonce's family. Tina and Matthew Knowles beside the fireplace pretending they still love each other. Beyonce rocking one of them fly ass lace front wigs. While Jay Z teaches his little nephew how to grip the mic. As Solonge enjoys a champagne and chronic night cap. Ah, the warm feelings...

But seriously, this is/was a great idea.

UPDATE: It's been done...


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"African American Advertising" ....

...Or was it Colored Commercial Arts back then. In some ways "African American Advertising" hasn't advanced very much from this kind of imagery. In many ways it has. The imagery is representative of the values we aspired to and in many cases we actually attained.


It will be interesting to see where things will progress to as the term "Post Race" becomes propagated throughout the vernacular. Even though some things have changed for the better, much remains the same. https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png

My personal inspirations: Herb Lubalin

This project was the inspiration for Spike Lee's Jungle Fever poster.



Herbert F. (Herb) Lubalin (1918 – May 24, 1981) was a prominent American graphic designer. He collaborated with Ralph Ginzburg on three of Ginzburg's magazines: Eros, Fact, and Avant Garde, and was responsible for the creative visual beauty of these publications. He designed a typeface, ITC Avant Garde, for the last of these; this distinctive font could be described as a post-modern interpretation of art deco, and its influence can be seen in logos created in the 1990s and 2000s.

I am completely enamored with this guys work!



These ads were for Ebony magazine.

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LOUIS DORFSMAN

Lou Dorfsman, who for more than 40 years designed every aspect of the Columbia Broadcasting Company’s advertising and corporate identity, including the set of Walter Cronkite’s newsroom and the typographically elegant sign system for CBS’s New York headquarters, known as Black Rock, died on Wednesday in Roslyn, N.Y. He was 90. Louis was an Art director, designer & writer! Props. https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png

Old ads weren't all bad

I'm pretty sure that copy line originally read "swapping lies with old" friends. https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png

I had to post this

Even the logo is juicy. https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png

M'Obama Art

Wordy Obama

FrO'bama

Boom Box 'bama

Toon'Obama

Blob Obama
I know. You thought you had seen all the Obama support art out there right. Wrong It's out there in spades! Can I say that? Vote already and I'll stop. https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png

Look out for the Bull!

Yessah Massah! We's uh betta look aht fo dat deh bull suh! Wow, I don't know who did this but we have come a long way baby! But we still have a long way to go.  https://sites.google.com/site/mayuradocs/PinIt.png