Sunday, May 7, 2017

The Smiling Orange

Here it is, the Zine I created some time ago…that foretold of a brand that would grow to become the all encompassing brand of brands from which all brands are made. An ever weaving thread tying the world together, from your head to your hands, what you think shall become. Marketing, the media, technology and the like all perfectly synced to deliver anything necessary to keep engagement alive. Are we there yet? Getting real close? For crying out loud! Who knows, right?



We’d have them available at our concerts. Performing as the band with the same name of the brand, things got serious on that level as there was now a vocal component to the object model. We were essentially a live action parody of the goings on of modern culture that people could bear witness to. Branding and all that nonsense. We’d give out a demo along with the zine for people to take home.

As far as the show went, sometimes it worked out great, other times it didn’t…but it always drew intently focused faces from those that came out. A total thrill it was, locking eyes with someone while soaking the room with words and precisely timed sounds accented by choreographed gestures. What were the people attached to those faces thinking? It’s hard to say. Anyone we asked seemed to struggle with a description. It's a shame if you think about it, because anyone tasked with describing something new always feels compelled to offer a perfectly crafted summation of the amalgamation of references they associate the new experience with. What happens when the shoe doesn’t fit? What are people supposed to say then? It's gotta come from somewhere! If aficionados of any listed examples don’t agree with the correlation? Forget it, end of discussion. 

Anyhow, here it is for those that would like to check it out today, never mind it’s a decade or so old now. If you’d like your own copy, as there are a few left, go ahead and grab one from the E|store.



Here are a few related links on the subject...

The Smiling Orange Comic on YouTube

The Smiling Orange digital downloads via Bandcamp

The Smiling Orange website showcasing a variety of memorabilia