Yet, another ​“Creative as a model”

A Gurney Ride To A Bowling Ally. 

I was there in 1980 at the phar­ma­ceu­tical and health care agency, Vicom Asso­ciates, when art director, Rex Simmons, was asked to pose as a patient in two IVAC ads that would run consec­u­tively in medical journals.

This second ad was to have Rex lying on a hospital gurney, being rushed to an ICU.

After the photo was shot, (I can’t remember the photog­ra­pher) the elements of the ad went through the in-house art depart­ment to be pasted-up for the ad. It also was there that the photo also became inspi­ra­tion for yet another agency event centered around Rex.*

This latest idea was an agency, one-night-bowling team. A section from the photo from the ad (though he is hard to recog­nize) became the center of the t‑shirt design: ​“The Not Quite, Dead Rex — Bowling Team”!

A date was picked and reser­va­tions made for one-night-only at the Japan­town Bowl in San Francisco.

The night arrived and we arrived, wearing the shirts. We were the center of much interest to the regu­lars of that bowling ally.

Rex was in fine form that night as the last two pictures show, a model of good health.

Double click on a thumb­nail for a larger and complete view.

*There have been at least seven costumed events,each with a theme that centered on Rex’s birthday. They were created by his co-worker friends and personal friends, who contributed their varied talents.

Here are four of the events: ​“The Very First (and only) Cricket Match” at the Town Park in Corte Madera — Rex’s life story, ​“The Duke of Marin” done as a musical comedy with video coverage on stage at a Ft. Mason theater — a ​“Knighting Cere­mony” hosted by Bob Buechert (pres­i­dent of Vicom Asso­ciates) at his Petaluma prop­erty — and the ​“Orient Excess” (sic) with a varied group passen­gers including Agatha Christie characters.

Double click on a thumb­nail for a larger and complete view.

“Cricket Match”, Photo of the players and team supporters 

”The Duke of Marin”, Program Cover 

Theater Review (with apolo­gies to the San Fran­cisco Chronicle’s ​“Little Man”). 

“Knighting Cele­bra­tion”, video and still photos recording the historic occasion. 

“Knighting Cele­bra­tion”, video and still photos recording the historic occasion. 

“Knighting Cele­bra­tion”, video and still photos recording the historic occasion. 

“Orient Excess”, Invi­ta­tion (with apolo­gies to the authentic ​“Venice Simplon Orient Express” brochure) — and the photo of the ​“passen­gers”.

“Orient Excess”, Invi­ta­tion (with apolo­gies to the authentic ​“Venice Simplon Orient Express” brochure) — and the photo of the ​“passen­gers”.

“Orient Excess”, Invi­ta­tion (with apolo­gies to the authentic ​“Venice Simplon Orient Express” brochure) — and the photo of the ​“passen­gers”.

I’ve wondered if adver­tising agen­cies, today, put on elab­o­rate parties and events, or, maybe this agency was very unique in our time.

Ann