ALL SCI-FI

[Morbius]

[Bud Brewster]

This beautiful scene of the privileged class at an exclusive golf course positively reeks of elegance, wealth, and culture. And even though the painting is a true work of art, the ad copy has considerable merit as a literary creation!

Gentlemen, I could teach a class in creative writing just by analyzing the brilliant way the ad copy above uses eloquent language to impart its message to the reader.

Here's what I'd point to my students.

Opening Statement: Good writing sets the tone of the piece in the first sentence, summarizing the overall message before offering specific reasons which support the main idea.
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Pontiac again shuns the mediocre to create the Fresh Point of View for 1960.
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Sounds wonderful, right? But what the hell does it mean?

We don't know yet. We have to read on to find out. (Clever hook, eh?)
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The prow is proud, pointedly tasteful, and exciting.
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Guys, I'm a sucker for alliteration, so I love this sentence. All those p-words used so effectively.

Notice that this car doesn't have a "front" — it has a "prow", like a yacht. This prow isn't just appealing, it's "proud and tasteful" . . . pointedly so, in fact (a word that means "in a direct and unambiguous way". I looked it up. )
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The horizontal bars of the grill suggest order. There's a harmony in the profile, a new-found freedom and grace, no meaningless adornment.
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Hot damn, those sentences ROCK!

It took me a moment to realize that it sounds exactly like a famous art critic praising a priceless painting! (See, I told you I loved alliteration!)

And yet, it isn't just an outlandish sales pitch. Every word of it is true, even though it's dressed up so fancy-like that we tend to chuckle and think, "Oh brother . . . "
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The interiors are exquisite, coordinated — a sensation to touch and feel.
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Is it just me or does that sound a bit like a passage from a romance novel?
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Pontiac has designed this with visual honesty — not just to be different, but to give you a motorcar of lasting good looks.
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I'm not sure I know what "visual honesty" means, but the rest of the sentence is cystal clear.

However. the Big Finish below takes things to a whole new level of upper crust exclusivity. Read this last part very carefully.
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Consequently, you can expect adherents of clean styling — people of exceptional taste — to be driving 1960 Pontiacs. Don't you belong among them?
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Hmmm . . . this is a little like saying, "People who are above average read at least three books a month. Do you read that often?"

If you say no, you're admitting that you're not above average.

But then the ad concludes by saying, "Don't you belong among them?" — as if the writer thinks you DO belong among the elite class, and he's stating that as a known fact.

Clever!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[mach7]

1960 was a paradigm shift of US car styling. Fins were waining, slab was rising. Things were getting very flat.

Flat sides, flat prow's, flat backs, flat seats.

This add does, as you point out, use very effective language.
It is as artistic as the actual artwork.

But....
Is it a F&K?
It looks similar, but different. It still works.

[Bud Brewster]

[mach7]

The big american car backseats are kind of defining in our late teenage development. Plenty of room to quote bible verses while doing biology experiments.

[Morbius]

Got it

[mach7]

Bud,

Is that last ad a Fitzpatrick and Kaufman?

The style looks slightly different and I don't see the AF/VK

Anyway. I suppose it could have been done by someone else in their office.

[Bud Brewster]

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Mark, your comment made me wonder if the artwork above might be a clever attempt to duplicate the work of Fitzpatrick and Kaufman.

The usual signature initials are are NOT visible in either of the lower cowners, so I couldn't be sure this was by the two gentlemen in question. Furthermore, I couldn't find definite confirmation of the artist that did the painting.

All I can say is that in the video interview below, Mr. Fitzpatrick states that he and Mr. Kaufman were the soul creators of the Pontiac ads during the period they were employed by GM.

_____________ Art Fitzpatrick and Van Kaufman


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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

Bless my souls, I'm not sure WHERE this beautiful Fitzpatrick and Kaufman painting was supposed to be set, but I hope that All Sci-Fi's resident expert, mach7, will point out several clues to pinpoint the location.

Meanwhile, I'll call to our member's attention the way this Pontiac ad portrays a cool gentlemen in sunglasses and his blonde companion, both of whom are touring the globe in their big blue Pontiac Grand Prix.

The fact that the elegant, aging buildings which tower above them on both sides suggests that this couple has journeyed deep into the culture of the lands they've come to visit.

So, they must be true Adventurers . . . and their Pontiac is the vehicle which carries them to foreign lands!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[mach7]

First, I found the signature.



Second, The Grand Prix.

My first thought was Morocco, but upon further contemplation
it's definitely Monaco.

French writing, fancy French dress, French architecture,
A Citroen and an Opal truck.

But the real giveaway is...........................

The car is a Grand Prix! Monaco, known for luxury, style, good living, and a famous race. The Grand Prix of Monaco.

[Bud Brewster]

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Great job of finding that blue signature in the green grass of the "Golf Course" painting! I never would have spotted that!

And I applaud your idea of connecting the Grand Prix with Monaco in the second picture.

I noticed that in that post, I'd mistakenly called it a Bonneville, but I corrected it today.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[Bud Brewster]

The ad copy is focused completely on the technical aspects of this 1961 Bonneville Sports Coupe — but the painting by Fitzpatrick and Kaufman is pure aesthetics!

Notice how the car's dramatic perspective sends your eyes sweeping back to the ornate staircase, which in turn launches your attention right up into the air, over the snow-capped mountains, and off into the blue sky!

In the foreground we see two hikers studying a map. The message is clear. Let the Pontiac take you to picturesque places — and then keep right on going. The sky's the limit!
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[mach7]

This one doesn't do much for me.

To my eye there is not much going on.

Lodge, mountains, hikers, but no overall theme that the car fits into.

And speaking of the Pontiac, how did it get there? Did the
dude back it in? Did he just drive down the steps? Did a helicopter drop it there?

The driver is not really dressed for the location.

The ad copy is all technological, kind of disjointed from
the artwork.

[Bud Brewster]

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Ah well, as a fellow artists, that painting speaks volumes to me. My eyes roam across the car and then soared off into the blue sky!

Call me a cockeyed optimist, but that wonderful painting is the essence of high adventure.
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958)

[mach7]

To me the angles of the mountains, the angles/orientation of the steps, the predominance of orange (the color or the morning sun?) around the car lead me to think that the artist wanted me to think that the car "drove" off the mountain down to it's location.
The engineer in me see's the illogic in the situation.

Some how it bothers me. Couple the art with the text and it gets even more muddled.

Like NOMAD I think "Non sequitur, your art is uncoordinated"