T-Squares, Apples, and Crazy Ones.

Many years ago, I entered my first award show. It was the Los Angeles Creative Club student show. The logo of which was an ancient tool called a T-square. The show was much like our Crowbar awards. The Los Angeles Times would sponsor it year after year.

I thought it was a good show. I mean, I did pretty good. Got a Gold, Silver, and a Bronze that night.

Five years later I sold the one that won a Gold to the Singapore Cancer Society when I was at Y&R. I think it got a Clio finalist or something. (Recycling once in a blue moon is okay, but nothing beats new material.)

But back to the student show.

There was another ad that won big. That was an ad for an insect killer. The ad had the head of a wasp mounted on a wooden trophy backing. You know, like a dear head on a game trophy. Logo centered below at the bottom.

Back then nobody was doing that shit. It was so clean. No headline. Just a visual and a product.

It was very cool. And the jury thought it was very Gold.

Well, the show ended. I went back to school. Then I found out that the girl who did the ad, Susan Alinsangan, got a J.O.B. at Chiat/Day. I’m not sure what school she went to. Yeah, and they said Chiat/Day NEVER hired juniors!

Anyway, years go by and I’m here in Singapore working at Y&R. My Marigold 100% Juice “Apple” TVC was still up and running. Think we made that on our lunch break with a video camera for about 5k. (Damn thing ran for almost ten years!)

Well, that same year, Susan Alinsangan made a TVC with an apple too. But hers was for a little computer company in Cupertino called Apple. The campaign was titled “Think Different”.

You know, the one with that amazing Richard Dreyfuss voice over. “Here’s to the crazy ones...”

I tried to hate it. But I just loved it. It was so obvious I guess, but damn they really put it together didn’t they.

Whenever I need a quick recharge I log onto YouTube and give it a run. Usually I’ll need it only once every two months or so. Nowadays, I need it once a week.

More time went by.

Next my travels took me to the Big Apple. That’s where I saw this amazing bus shelter poster and snapped a photo.

It was yellow and had a graphic black silhouette of some guy on it. I didn’t know the product. All I remember thinking was, what’s with the white wires?