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