The McGuire Programme

It's very likely you would have already seen this piece of branding by Nathan Webb and Sean Rees for The McGuire Programme as it has been passed around the internets a lot of late.

This piece of work is one of my favourites I have seen this year. The bold and simple graphic styling is incredibly strong and lets the designer to dip in and out of using type or illustrations without it feeling disjointed.

The ideas at the heart of the branding are great and have been done a lot of justice with the execution. If I was wearing a hat, I would take it off. As I'm not, I shall take off my trousers.

Progress.

In 1886 the sugary, syrupy, water behemoth Coca-Cola's advertising slogan was 'Drink Coca-Cola'. Today, after 127 years of progress, 62 different iterations and no doubt enough money to wipe out world poverty being spunked on it, their advertising slogan is 'Enjoy Coca-Cola'. Progress indeed.

Here's the list. 1906 is a classic.

• 1886 - Drink Coca-Cola.

• 1904 - Delicious and refreshing.

• 1905 - Coca-Cola revives and sustains.

• 1906 - The great national temperance beverage.

• 1908 - Good til the last drop

• 1917 - Three million a day.

• 1922 - Thirst knows no season.

• 1923 - Enjoy life.

• 1924 - Refresh yourself.

• 1925 - Six million a day.

• 1926 - It had to be good to get where it is.

• 1927 - Pure as Sunlight

• 1927 - Around the corner from anywhere.

• 1928 - Coca-Cola ... pure drink of natural flavors.

• 1929 - The pause that refreshes.

• 1932 - Ice-cold sunshine.

• 1937 - America's favorite moment.

• 1938 - The best friend thirst ever had.

• 1938 - Thirst asks nothing more.

• 1939 - Coca-Cola goes along.

• 1939 - Coca-Cola has the taste thirst goes for.

• 1939 - Whoever you are, whatever you do, wherever you may be, when you think of refreshment, think of ice cold Coca-Cola.

• 1941 - Coca-Cola is Coke!

• 1942 - The only thing like Coca-Cola is Coca-Cola itself.

• 1944 - How about a Coke?

• 1945 - Coke means Coca-Cola.

• 1945 - Passport to refreshment.

• 1947 - Coke knows no season.

• 1948 - Where there's Coke there's hospitality.

• 1949 - Coca-Cola ... along the highway to anywhere.

• 1952 - What you want is a Coke.

• 1954 - For people on the go.

• 1956 - Coca-Cola ... makes good things taste better.

• 1957 - The sign of good taste.

• 1958 - The Cold, Crisp Taste of Coke

• 1959 - Be really refreshed.

• 1963 - Things go better with Coke.

• 1966 - Coke ... after Coke ... after Coke.

• 1969 - It's the real thing.

• 1971 - I'd like to buy the world a Coke. 

• 1974 - Look for the real things.

• 1976 - Coke adds life.

• 1979 - Have a Coke and a smile

• 1982 - Coke is it!

• 1985 - America's Real Choice

• 1986 - Red White & You 

• 1986 - Catch the Wave 

• 1989 - Can't Beat the Feeling. 

• 1991 - Can't Beat the Real Thing. 

• 1993 - Always Coca-Cola.

• 2000 - Enjoy.

• 2001 - Life tastes good. 

• 2003 - Real.

• 2005 - Make It Real.

• 2006 - The Coke Side of Life 

• 2007 - Live on the Coke Side of Life

• 2008 - love it light

• 2009 - Open Happiness

• 2010 - Twist The Cap To Refreshment

• 2011 - Life Begins Here

• 2012 - Enjoy Coca Cola

STUMBLED UPON AT WIKIPEDIA

Job Titles

One of the peculiarities of the advertising and marketing world over the last ten years has been the rise of the silly job title. Some of this is down to new media and things, whilst some is definitely to do with people trying to jazz-up their job, or make themselves sound reet clever and that. The famously crap ones like Social Media Guru or Digital Ninja we all know, but here's few more to throw into the mix -

Bloating Curator
Digital Bumfoozler
Strategising Crimper
Head of Strategic Loftiness
Laconic Liason Officer
Chief Opportunistic Executive
Information Doctor
Filth Architect
Code Wrangler
Art Spaniel
Kinky Planning Weasel
Beard Spectacles
Swivel-Eyed Brand Loon
Social Docker
Interactive Fartspitter
Schtick Executive Officer
Interminable Content Wizard

Any suggestions, or ones you've heard or seen yourself, drop 'em in the comments...

The Chirping of a Philistine Who Thinks the Paint is More Valuable than the Painting

If you read only one thing about advertising today, read this post from Bob Hoffman.

Sorrell and his clones who head up other agency holding companies need to find new businesses to rape. Their day is over. Their time has passed. They have been a massive, tragic failure. They have enriched themselves and impoverished an industry. 

It’s time for these people to go.

We could not agree more.

CDP Radio Rentals

This is one of my all time favourite ads. The idea is wonderfully simple, it's well cast and the balance between conveying the product's benefits and humour is perfect.

Save the Badger Badger Badger

This afternoon, dear readers, the plan was to treat you to a wonderful piece I'm just putting the finishing touches to. A post about an old ad campaign I came across recently. A bold, smart, gutsy campaign that ran for years, and how those are scarcer than a Norfolk Grey's lower right molar these days.

But it's going to have to wait, because I've just found this...



OK, I'll admit it. Despite coming from farmer stock I've not got the foggiest about the badger culling/tuberculosis situation, so can't really comment on whether it's a good or bad – I just really love that video.

If you, however, do have strong feelings for badgers then TeamBadger with Meatloaf and the gang will be right up your sett. Sorry.

Farewell Eddie Braben

Eddie Braben, the writer behind the Morcambe and Wise show, died this week. The duo were the frontmen with the fame, but Mr Braben was the man in the background writing the funny stuff. Hats off. It gives us an excuse to post up some classic Eric'n'Ernie.