It was time. My cadre came out onto the streets carrying A1 duo-tone signs printed in Helvetica Bold.
‘LEFT ALIGNED, NOT JUSTIFIED’
‘PANTONE IS POLITICS’
‘KERNING FOR THE QUALIFIED’
Allex Tonkin had returned from exile. Tonkin, the genius behind the minty-fresh mouthwash viral advertising campaign featuring mincing albinos in blackface. Tonkin the pariah, described by the Prime Minister as a far, far greater threat to the nation than midget submarines.
Three long years working as a signwriter in Dunedin had not broken his spirit. Apprentices had smuggled his lino-cut manifestos (screen-printed on hand-pressed paper) into the country. Now, the man himself in all his be-satcheled glory was here to lead us.
The graphic designers were on the march.
The advertising agencies were the first to cross over, then the TV studios. The newspaper editors held out for three days, but fell when their online staff viciously turned on them. The Prime Minister was flown out of the country under the skirts of a touring popstar. One week, and the halls of power echoed with the Converse-clad sound of illustrators, artists and typesetters.
And then we started The Brainstorming.