Blue Moon
The obvious thing to do if you have a truck that moves around Pepsi, or Coke, or Budweiser, is to just put a big logo on it. You own the truck, might as well tell everyone what’s in it. The surface of the truck turns into a giant, moving billboard. It drives fame and recognition for your product.
I spotted this Blue Moon truck this morning, and there were a couple of things that stood out for me.
The illustration style. It looks hand painted, which harks back to that golden era of advertising.
It shows the product (beer).
There’s an orange slice, which tells the story about the product again: “A wheat beer brewed with Valencia orange peel for a subtle sweetness and bright, citrus aroma.”
The movement you get from the three images in sequence. Is it a storyboard? A triptych? I’m not sure, but it’s a bit unusual and catches your eye.
Extra word association magic: I’m not sure about you, but when I look at that round bright orange against that dark background, I think “moon”.
Interstate 280, California, 6pm
Sayed is driving me home from the airport and will later find my dropped my wallet.
“Josh, listen.
Let’s say I drive 20 people. 10 of those people I will have a conversation with. Of those 10, 5 are divorced. 2-3 are single, dating around. 2 are married.
A lot of people are divorced.
I was married for 7 years. I was unhappy. I’m better off now. After the divorce I was sad for 3 years. I had no money, I drank every night, homeless. But when I was married, I was working 3 jobs. She would ask why we weren’t going on vacations. She didn’t work. I did everything I could. I couldn’t make enough money. It was arranged. Many times arranged can work. My brothers and sisters all are in arranged marriages. They are happy.
Sometimes I think I was too hard. She would say, let’s move to another city, and I would say no. But now, I would say, right now I can’t, I’m working, but yes soon. I was very hard. But that’s how you learn.
I met someone at a gas station. She would come in every day. $10. Fill up $10. No one does that. She told me about a job, I think she’s beautiful. If I like… I don’t (gestures with hand going back and fourth), I say, hey you’re beautiful. I would love to date you. I would love to marry you. We live together now. She’s also divorced and has two kids.
If I knew I would be paying for my kids I never see, rent for houses I don’t sleep in… I wouldn’t.
Maybe I would get married, but never divorced.
Pacifica State Beach, California, 7am
I’m in the car park after a surf. A man pulls up next to me and starts unloading his car. He’s in his 50’s, Chinese, solid build. Wrapping his face with a cloth? Oh, a fisherman!
Surfing?
No! (Laughs) Fishing!
What do you catch?
Perch. Stripe Bass.
Sharks?
(Laughs)
What do you do with them?
I don’t sell them. I give them away to the [muffled].
The?
The garage. Mechanic. I give him fish, he keeps my car running.
As long as car keeps running (pats his van) he will keep getting fish.