Subversive Coca-Cola Bottles

In 1965, thousands of sealed Coca-Cola bottles containing "subversive bulletins" were found floating off the coast of the Northern Celebes.

Miami Herald - July 30, 1965

I can't find any information about who was responsible for this strange act of subversion. But it recalls a later subversive use of Coca-Cola bottles by the Brazilian artist Cildo Meireles.

It was during the 1970s when used glass bottles would be returned and refilled. Meireles would modify the bottles before returning them by adding white text on the side showing messages such as "Yankees Go Home" or instructions for turning the bottle into a Molotov cocktail.


More info: Beach Branding and Packaging Design

Posted By: Alex - Sat Sep 07, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Art, Soda, Pop, Soft Drinks and other Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 1960s, 1970s

The Second Home

Surprise, honey, we're going to be living in a camper shell!

TV Guide - Jan 10, 1970

Posted By: Alex - Fri Sep 06, 2024 - Comments (2)
Category: Advertising, 1970s, Trucks

A search for love on the No. 94 bus

While visiting Los Angeles from Elk River, Idaho in May 1978, 33-year-old Zan Lawrence met a young woman on the No. 94 bus. They talked for about 20 minutes before she disembarked.

Lawrence was smitten, but he didn't know how to contact her. Or even what her name was. So he spent the following weeks riding the same bus back and forth, hoping to meet her again. He also put up signs and placed newspaper ads.

Eventually his search came to the attention of the media, and he was featured in articles. However, the publicity didn't help him locate the young woman. He never did find her again.

Of course, maybe she didn't want to be found.

Los Angeles Times - June 10, 1978

Los Angeles Times - Aug 14, 1978

Posted By: Alex - Mon Sep 02, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: 1970s, Bus, Love & Romance

Dancing Fools

BULLETIN! Fresh outbreak of the Medieval Dancing Mania!

Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 01, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Advertising, 1970s, Dance

The Kids from C.A.P.E.R.

Wikipedia entry here.

Posted By: Paul - Sat Aug 31, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Music, Television, Homages, Pastiches, Tributes and Borrowings, 1970s, Comedians

The egg on the head scam

San Francisco Examiner - Dec 22, 1974

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 29, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, 1970s

In three weeks he may be dead…

Look at Bambi lying in a field. Bambi will be dead soon.

Sports Illustrated - July 1970

Coincidentally, this ad appeared within a year of the release of the classic animated short "Bambi Meets Godzilla." Perhaps the ad men had seen Marv Newland's film. Newland went into advertising after making his film, so it's at least possible.

Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 28, 2024 - Comments (3)
Category: Advertising, Cartoons, 1960s, 1970s

“Dude” on Broadway

One of the most spectacular theatrical bombs. Read the full story here.

And also here, with more pix.

The Wikipedia page.

I am going to include some quotes from the 1972 NYT article on this massive failure, but the whole piece is behind their paywall.

Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 19, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Success & Failure, Theater and Stage, 1970s

Most Beautiful Ear

In 1975, the Koss Corporations (maker of headphones) sponsored a "most beautiful ear" contest. Unlike most beauty contests, it was open to both men and women. Nor was overall attractiveness even considered. Entrants were judged on an earprint that they submitted.

Des Moines Register - Oct 15, 1975

The eventual winner, out of more than 3000 entrants, was Mrs. Lloyd Borne of Binghamton, New York.

Roanoke Times - March 3, 1976

Posted By: Alex - Sat Aug 10, 2024 - Comments (0)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, 1970s

The youngest person to bicycle across the United States

In 1973, 11-year-old Becky Gorton bicycled from Olympia, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts in 47 days. She was accompanied by her entire family. Though her dad (who was attorney general of Washington) got hit by a car en route, so he had to complete part of the journey in a car.

Becky Gorton and her family at the end of their trip.

Longview Daily News - July 21, 1973

The feat earned her a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest person ever to bicycle coast-to-coast. But since then Guinness seems to have stopped tracking this record. Probably because it didn't want to encourage ever younger children to attempt the feat.

However, younger people definitely have subsequently biked across the country. Though it's difficult to say who's officially the current record holder.

In 2014, 9-year-old C.J. Burford got some publicity for biking cross-country. But I don't think he set the record because in 1995 8-year-old Starr Moss was reported as having biked across the country with his 13-year-old brother.

The SF Chronicle article about their feat never mentioned that Starr set a record. So perhaps there's someone even younger who managed to do it.

If this is the same Starr Moss, he's now, appropriately, working as a "Bike Share Planner" for Lyft.

Posted By: Alex - Thu Aug 01, 2024 - Comments (1)
Category: Bicycles and Other Human-powered Vehicles, World Records, 1970s