"His Master's Voice" (What you don't see is that Nipper is sitting on the coffin of his dead owner) In company logos and advertisements, animals are a fairly common sight. So common, in fact, that you probably haven't given these mascots a great deal of thought. But those whose job involves selecting an animal representative for an organization or company face no small task. With their choice, they will be aligning themselves with whatever qualities people tend to associate with that animal. Once they’ve found their totem, they may forever be associated with it. A prime example of logo longevity is "His Master’s Voice," a design trademarked by the Victor Record Company on this day in 1900, sealing forever in our minds the image of Nipper the dog listening attentively to a Victrola, and connecting it further with the Gramophone Company (later known as HMV). In the ensuing century, plenty of other corporate critters have made their marks on our cultural consciousness. How many times have you heard Leo, the MGM lion roar? Financial institutions have adopted symbols of strength, including an elk and a lion, though Merrill Lynch was wise to select a bull rather than a bear. Animals in advertising have also provided memorable and humorous moments. Cuteness gives many animal representatives their appeal. The Geico gecko is pretty adorable, as is Snuggle, the Fabric Softener Bear. Some creatures are simply effective because they are cartoons, and appeal to kids, such as the Trix Rabbit and Sugar Bear. Turns out there’s a science behind the success of animals (or "visual identifiers," as the marketing analysts call them). While some wine critics may claim they avoid "labels bearing cute animals," the rest of us are drawn to these images almost against our will, according to researchers. Did you pick up that bottle of Syrah because it had a kangaroo, chameleon, or a cute dog or kitty on it? It’s not your fault -– you're a victim of your own "perceptual fluency." In light of the incredible sway these animals have over us, some mascots may not have been the best selections. Joe Camel, for example, the longtime rep for Camel cigarettes, was no longer depicted in cartoon form due to objections that he appealed to children too effectively, and Budweiser’s Spuds MacKenzie faded into obscurity before anyone noticed that a dog in a Hawaiian shirt was probably not the most appropriate spokes-animal for beer. After all, wouldn’t you rather share a tall one with a creepy penguin? Suggested Sites... TV Acres - Advertising Mascots - take a four-legged walk down memory lane. "Of Frog Wines and Frowning Watches" - academic study on why we select animal-endorsed brands and respond to other visual cues. Live-Animal Mascots Get an "F" - PETA argues that actual animals should not be used as mascots. "Dinner With the Mascots" video on YouTube - amusing reunion of several iconic mascots.

Directory categories: Advertising, Commercials, Pop Culture, Graphic Design, Phonographs

Archived under: 19th Century, Advertising, Animals, Anniversaries, Bears, Birds, Brands, Cartoons, Design, Dogs, History, Images, Mascots, Music, Music History, Nostalgia, Records, Society and Culture, TV, Wine

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Original cover of Michael Jackson's Thriller (Editor's Note: In light of the events of last week, we were reminded of this Spark from 2007.) After more than 15 years as a child star with The Jackson 5 and five successful solo albums, Michael Jackson hit new levels of superstardom in 1982 with "Thriller." 27 years later, Michael's sixth solo album is still an all time record-breaker, with 104 million copies sold worldwide, 80 consecutive weeks in the Billboard Top 10 (including 37 at number one), and seven Grammys. Michael earned top ten hits with seven of the album's nine tracks, including the Paul McCartney duet, "The Girl is Mine," and "Billie Jean," in which he denied allegations of fathering the child of an obsessive fan. "Billie Jean" also introduced the public to Michael's signature "Moonwalk" dance, said to be inspired by mime Marcel Marceau. The "Thriller" single went a (dance) step further with a 14-minute video directed by John Landis and narrated by the spooky voice of Vincent Price. In this horror movie spoof, Jackson turns into a werewolf, threatens to kill his date, and leads a chorus line of dancing zombies covered with grape jelly blood. Many -- especially Filipino prisoners -- cite it as the best music video ever, and there's no denying that both the album and the single made musical HIStory. Suggested Sites... Michael Jackson.com - official site of the late King of Pop. Thriller Videos - the best and the worst of aspiring Michael Jacksons, including performances by those Filipino inmates and Bollywood dancers. A Photographic History of Michael Jackson's Face - the "Thriller" makeup was frightening, but Michael's scariest face was yet to come. Thrill the World - learn how to dance like a zombie, and help break the record for simultaneous worldwide "Thriller" performances at the same time!

Directory categories: Michael Jackson, Rock and Pop Music, The 1980s, Michael Jackson Memorials and Tributes, R&B and Soul Music

Archived under: 1980s, Awards, Dance, Entertainment, Horror Films, Michael Jackson, Music, Music History, Thriller, Videos, Zombies

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Brian Jones playing a Vox Mando guitar "Death by misadventure." That was the official finding regarding the death of Brian Jones nearly forty years ago. On July 2, 1969, Jones, the co-founder of the Rolling Stones, was found dead in the pool of his Essex farm (which had previously been owned by none other than "Winnie-the-Pooh" creator A.A. Milne). Did Jones indeed die in an accident, intoxicated by drugs and alcohol? Or was he murdered? Any number of hypotheses have been put forward, and yet the circumstances surrounding the death of the "blond angel" of the Rolling Stones remain mysterious. A talented musician, Jones lived live to its fullest. Born into a middle-class family in 1942, he refused to conform, fathered at least five children with multiple girlfriends, abused drugs and alcohol, drove a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud that he had bought from Beatle George Harrison, and was eventually fired from the very band he had helped create. Just weeks before his death, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, tired of Jones's no-shows at rehearsals and generally erratic behavior, decided to replace him with guitarist Mick Taylor. In 1962, Richards and Jagger had been blown away by Jones's talent, and the three decided to create a band: The Rolling Stones. Jones introduced new sounds to rock and roll: playing the sitar on "Paint It Black," the dulcimer on "Lady Jane," the marimba on "Under My Thumb," and both saxophone and harpsichord on "Dandelion." His musical talent was soon surpassed by Jagger and Richards, though, as the duo began writing most of the songs -- and didn't restrain from sharing Jones's girlfriends. As might be guessed, the relationship between the trio was far from cordial when Jones died, and only three days after his death, the band played a concert in London's Hyde Park; a concert that had been intended to introduce new guitarist Taylor, but turned into a weird -- and insincere -- tribute to Jones. On July 10th, Jones was buried in his home town of Cheltenham in a bronze and silver casket paid for by Bob Dylan. The only Stones to show up at the funeral were Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts. Jagger was traveling to Australia to shoot a movie, and Richards had "studio commitments." There was no love lost for the man who had brought them fame and whose death helped build their legend. Suggested Sites... TruTV: All About Brian Jones - extensive biography of the Rolling Stones founder, including the mysteries surrounding his death. MySpace: Brian Jones - a plethora of pictures, videos, and stories about Jones. The Brian Jones Fan Club - a must for the devoted admirers of the musician. The 27 Club - dedicated to all the music artists who died at the age of 27.

Directory categories: Brian Jones, The Rolling Stones, Artist's Memorials, Rock Artists, Rock Music

Archived under: 1960s, Anniversaries, Biographies, Celebrities, Dead Celebrities, Death, Entertainment, Music, Musicians, Mysteries, Rock and Roll, Suicide, United Kingdom

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The Dapper Dans of Disneyland Get out your straw hat, sleeve garter, and pitch pipe! Be natural and be sharp! It's Barbershop Quartet Day again. This four-part, a cappella style of singing has been a mainstay of American music since before the turn of the 20th century. Its harmonic legacy has been immortalized in a painting by Norman Rockwell, celebrated on Main Street in Disneyland, and even makes an appearance or two in today's pop culture. But were ringing chords ever really heard in barber shops? Yessiree. In the Golden Age (1900-1930) of barbershopping, many establishments prided themselves on having their own quartets. The mellow, close harmonies of the classic vocal group the Mills Brothers were perfected in their father's barbershop in Piqua, Ohio. It was such a popular pastime, in fact, that it earned the nicknames of "curbstone" or "lamp-post" harmony. Its origins are rooted in the African-American musical tradition and this vocal art form is kept alive today wherever a lead, tenor, bass, and baritone get together to strike up a chord. Suggested Sites... Barbershop Harmony Society - formerly the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. You know, SPEBSQSA. A Dapper Dans Tribute - stroll down memory lane with Disneyland's Dapper Dans. Gentleman's Emporium - don't get caught without your sleeve garter! Sweet Adelines International Singers - the ladies can harmonize, too. Barbershop Jukebox - listen to classic and current barbershop at its best.

Directory categories: Barbershop Quartets, A Cappella Singers, Barbershop Quartet Organizations

Archived under: 19th Century, American History, Barbershop Quartets, Celebrations, Disneyland, Entertainment, Music, Music History, Musicians

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On April 6th, 1956, the world's first circular commercial building was dedicated near the corner of Hollywood and Vine in Los Angeles, CA. Designed by Welton Becket to be the home of the music label Capitol Records, it still stands today as a well-known symbol of Hollywood, just one mile east of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. A legend says that the building was built to look like a stack of 45 rpm records on a turntable, but this has never been confirmed. The label was created in 1942 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, music store owner Glenn Wallich, and movie producer Buddy DeSylva. On top of the spear that surmounts its thirteen stories, a red blinking light has been spelling out the word "Hollywood" in Morse code since the building was dedicated, to remind one and all that Capitol was the first music label to settle on the West Coast (the other big music companies at that time, Victor, Columbia, and Decca, were all still in New York). The recording studios and the echo chambers buried underground have hosted decades of famous artists, from Frank Sinatra, who inaugurated the studios with sessions for his instrumental album, "Tone Poems of Color," to Gorillaz, the Beatles, Coldplay, and Nat King Cole. Next to the building, both John Lennon and Garth Brooks have their Walk of Fame stars. In 2006, Capitol's parent company EMI sold the tower to a real estate company for 50 million dollars, with the promise to keep Capitol Records in its historical location. Suggested Sites... Capitol Records - official site for the label, with pictures of current and past artists -- and of the building. Welton Becket - the architect behind the Capitol Tower designed some of LA's most famous buildings. The Hollywood Entertainment District - the beating heart of Hollywood: the Walk of Fame, the Grauman's Theatres -- and of course, the Capitol Records tower. Capitol Records History - info on Capitol's facilities, technology, and marketing practices. Capitol Studios - technical specs on the building's recording facilities.

Directory categories: Music Labels, Music History, Hollywood, Buildings and Structures, Architecture

Archived under: 1940s, 1950s, Anniversaries, Architects, Architecture, Buildings, Design, Entertainment, History, Hollywood, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Los Angeles, Music, Music History, Records, Rock and Roll, Skyscrapers, Tourist Attractions

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