New reader Randi emailed Gothamist with this link to perhaps the best use of demonstration of wackiness at City Hall that does not involve the City Council, the Mayor, and some spinning: The Wise Owl, a Crash Test Dummy, Mr. Clean, and Tony the Tiger re-enacting Abbey Road (on what looks like Broadway) to kick off Advertising Week in NYC - which doesn't happen for another month. This other photograph shows Mayor Koch and other brand icons like the Michelin Man, Charlie Tuna, and the Chiquita Banana lady - and it looks like Kool-Aid is on the left.
AdAge was at the event and reported (registration required, but it's free):
Many icons were no-shows, including Ronald McDonald and the Jolly Green Giant. A rumor quickly circulated that the Energizer Bunny did not make an appearance because the marketer felt that it would be "off-message" for the drum-thumping rabbit to be seen in public being "wanded" at City Hall's security checkpoint.
Still, it's like a Madison Avenue acid trip!
Advertising Week in NYC begins on September 20 and there will be exhibits at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central (including one about "I Love NY"). You can also vote for your favorite advertising icon. It's a diverse group: animals (McGruff), foreigners (Juan Valdez), dough (Pillsbury Doughboy), appendages (Arm & Hammer).
A great book about advertising is Luke Sullivan's Hey, Whipple, Squeeze This. And two great sites are Ad Rants and ad land ad rag. And if you're really tired of commercialsl, there's TiVo.
