Friday, July 2, 2010

Sometimes Just the Ad is Fake; Calling Dr. Mini!

Hey, at least I didn't put a hospital gown on it! Click to open 'er up in a larger size.

C H O P — This is a fake ad for a real Mini. Back in the halcyon days of Autoweek's Combustion Chamber Forum, before it combusted for realz, one of the posters there bought a brand new Mini Cooper (sorry, can't remember his forum name!). He posted several photos of his new baby online. One night, instead of doing any modifications to the car itself, I decided to create a few ads for the new car. This one, "Say, Ah" was a natural when I saw the diminutive sports hatch with every orifice wide open, lol.

I've never worked in the advertising side of the art world, preferring to stay on the editorial side of publishing. As I used to so cunningly say, "I preferred to tell the story, rather than sell the story." Apparently I also preferred socks with holes in them rather than socks with argyles on them. Editorial art directors never made anywhere near the salaries of our advertising counterparts, but I never was sorry for my decision. Working in newspapers, magazines and books, had been a lifelong dream for me, well until it wasn't anymore and I started working on my own art. Early on, I fell in love with the joys of journalism, bringing people's stories to the fore, their tragedies and their triumphs, teachable moments in many cases to use the vernacular of the day, I still do on a freelance basis. I always felt it was the 'honest' side of publishing, scrupulously honest as opposed to trying to 'put one over' on unsuspecting customers, but the decline of that honesty in the past decade or so is sad to me. I've worked with some of the best reporters, editors, publishers and authors of their day, and for that I'll be eternally grateful. That's a post for another day...

I've modified this ad slightly from its AWCC origins. My friend June owns a British Racing Green Mini Cooper, and since today is her birthday (why didn't her parents name her July, lol?) I thought I'd 'paint' this Cooper's original dark gray finish BRG to look just like her cheeky little car. Happy Birthday, June!

15 comments:

  1. I HAVE A 1997 MAZDA MIATA WITH 44,000 MILES ON IT. IT'S A LIMITED EDITION. ONLY 1500 MADE THAT YEAR. I NEVER DRIVE MUCH ANYMORE BUT GRAMPS GOES OUT FOR A SHORT DRIVE JUST TO KEEP THE OIL AND GAS RUNNING THROUGH IT'S VEINS. LOL WE KEEP THE CAR GARAGED AND COVERED. WHY I KEEP IT, I DON'T HAVE A CLUE.LIKE YOU, GRAMPS LOVES CARS. I LOVE THE REAL OLD CARS. I WISH BEFORE I DIE I COULD DRIVE ONE OF THOSE MODEL TS. HOW FUN WOULD IT BE TO GO THROUGH JAY LENOS' GARAGE? OH WELL JUST AN OLD LADIES DAYDREAM. I DAYDREAM ALOT. HAVE A FUN DAY. TG GRANNY

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  2. i would LOVE to see Leno's Big Dog garage! I designed a book a few years ago called 50 Cars to Drive, and one of his Lamborghinis was in it. I would love to have met him but I didn't. I bet Ross has seen his garage though!

    My grandmother's first car was a 1915 Model T. I still have the steering wheel and a few other parts from it. She bought it as a single woman back then!

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  3. HOW EXCITING. I USED TO WATCH A SHOW EVERYNIGHT ABOUT THE GUYS STEALING THE CARS AND REDESIGNING CARS THEN SURPRISING THE PERSON THEY STOLE THE CAR FROM. MY OLD BRAIN WON'T LET ME THINK OF THE GUYS NAME THAT REDESIGNS THEM. I LOVED THAT SHOW AND ALWAYS WISH I HAD ONE OF THOSE CARS. NOT THE NOISE MAKERS THEY ALWAYS PUT IN THE TRUNK. I'D RATHER HAVE A PICNIC BASKET, LOL. I'D TAKE THAT CAR AND CRUISE THEN STOP IN A BEAUTIFUL PARK WITH A WATERFALL AND JUST BE QUIET AND HAVE A PICNIC. YOU WANT TO COME ALONG? WHAT BEAUTIFUL PICTURES YOU COULD TAKE.

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  4. That show was called "Overhaulin' and the designer's name was Chip Foose. I LOVED that show! It's still on in reruns every once in a while, usually late at night. I never cared too much for the 'pranks' or the 'stealing' part, but the work they did on cars was awesome!

    Sure, let's go on a picnic! : )

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  5. I'M SO GLAD YOU RETURN THAT NAME TO ME. I WOULD HAVE GONE NUTS TODAY THINKING ABOUT IT. HIS NAME WAS ON THE TIP OF MY TONGUE AND JUST COULDN'T REMEMBER IT. BOY DO I FEEL BETTER. GETTING OLD STINKS. LOL AGAIN. I LOVED THAT SHOW.LOVE CHIP ALSO. GOT TO GO AND READ E MAILS GRANNY

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  6. Granny...

    Overhaulin' airs every Tuesday on The Discovery Channel. It may be on other days too but that is the day I catch it. They run 3 or 4 episodes back to back from @ 9am - noon here on the westcoast. I get it as part of an HD package thru DirecTV.

    Good show and I agree with you Casey, the pranks only steal valuable time from the vehicles.

    RW - Scottsdale, AZ

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  7. thanks for the Overhaulin' update RW! i usually catch it at 2am, i think Discovery channel also.

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  8. THANKS RW. NOW I'LL BE HOOK ON THE SHOW AGAIN. OH BY THE WAY I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID STEAL THE CARS I SHOUD HAVE SAID BORROW. IT REALLY DOES SOUND BETTER. I'LL CATCH YOU KIDS TOMORROW HERE ON THE BLOG I'LL BRING THE PICNIC BASKET.
    PS,CASEY YOUR A GOOD PERSON TO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF YOUR PARENTS. IT SAYS SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT YOU. GRANNY

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  9. HEY THERE GRANNY!! :) I see you are enjoying Casey's blog too! Isn't it awesome??
    How I love a mini cooper...wish we had bought one last time, BUT we compromised and bought a malibu maxx (only made for 3 years..hmmm..does say that something? they say it is european styling and americans didn't care for it...think that is correct casey?? I don't know) I like FUNKY and hubby likes functional..SO...the maxx was our compromise..
    Granny, I KNEW It was you when you said what your car was~!!:)
    LOOOOOVED the "ad" Casey...
    Again, awesome blog..and I LOVE that you have the steering wheel...how very very COOL!
    mare

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  10. you have no idea how touched I am that you're all checking out my blog from time-to-time!

    Mare: I know the Maxx wasn't built for very long, but I really liked it! Yes, the platform, the 'innards' of that Malibu was also used on some european cars, the Opel and even the Saab 9-3 I believe. The Maxx was 'the' Malibu to have, with the hatchback and I think they all had a glass roof over the back seat, right? I would keep it! It will probably be what's known as a 'special interest car' in 10-15 years, which means eventually it will be worth a bit more than you paid for it originally. It won't ever be a true 'high-dollar' car, but you should get a nice return on it eventually, even if you park it in a barn for 10 years, lol. It will first go through the 'normal' used car phase, but if you keep it in good shape, it will eventually go up in value. I'm glad to see you were a discriminating buyer! : )

    I just got back from our town's fireworks. very disappointing this year! after 13 minutes they stopped. no one knew what was going on. There were probably a thousand people on the beach and at the beach club. My friends and I rode home-the best part of the night was riding our bikes in the dark! and when we got home, the fireworks started again! by the time we rode to a hill to see them they ended, lol. Must have been a 25 minute glitch in the system, but no one told us! oh well. It was fun riding at night in the dark.

    have a great weekend!

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  11. GOOD DAY BUT A SAD DAY HERE IN TAMPA. TWO POLICEMEN WERE KILLED BY A [///////////] YOU CAN FILL IN THE SPACE. THERE'RE NO WORDS FOR A COP KILLER. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS AND HUNDREDS OF COPS THE GUY GAVE UP LAST NIGHT. I'M SITTING HERE WATCHING THE FUNERAL WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN MY FACE. THE TWO COPS TODAY HAVE A NEW CAPTAIN IN HEAVEN. REST IN PEACE. I WISH I HAD HANDFUL OF CASEYS' FLOWERS TO LAY ON THE SPOT WHERE THIS LOWLIFE LEFT THEM DYING IN THE DIRT.

    NOW ON TO A HAPPIER NOTE. YES, MARE IT'S ME. I'M GLAD I FOUND THIS BLOG OF CASEYS'. YOU KNOW ME AND MY LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS AND NATURE.CASEYS' PICTURES PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE. HIS ART AND CARS AREN'T BAD EITHER. LOVE IT.

    I SEE A GENTLE SOUL IN HIS LOVE OF CARS. PICTURE TAKING AND HIS ART. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING MORE.

    GOD BLESS AND HAVE A NICE DAY. THE PICNIC IS ON ME. ENJOY. PUT THE BLANKET DOWN IN YOUR GARDEN AND PEEK INTO THE BASKET. YUM YUM

    GRANNY

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  12. I just read that they caught the suspect in those police killings. That's a good thing. Give him a fair trial so it's clear he's guilty, and then let everyone see we're all truly better than that and give him life in prison.

    it's a gorgeous day here today. going for a long ride on my bike along the beach. enjoy the day as you can!

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  13. THE POLICE HAVE THE KILLINGS ON TAPE. IT WAS A CAR STOP FOR CAR LICENSE CHECK.THE GUY GOT OUT, PULL OUT A GUN AND BANG BANG. HE TOOK OFF RUNNING AND HIS GIRL DROVE OFF. SHE HAS FEDERAL CHARGES. 20 YEARS OLD. HE'S INVOLVED WITH THREE OTHER COLD BLOOD KILLINGS HERE IN THE AREA.

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  14. "I fell in love with the joys of journalism...

    I have been jumping in and out of your various blog posts - had to comment on your observation of journalism vs the admen. Funny, I have always felt that advertising in America was the cause for the beginning of our moral decline. More on this later....

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  15. i'm very glad to see my older posts being read! thank you.

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