Stay within the lines

October 5, 2006 9:03 AM

Executive Coloring Book. The original 1961 edition. There have been imitations: The Account Executive Coloring Book and A Coloring Book for Lawyers. (via The Presurfer and TextUrl)
posted by caddis (28 comments total)

1. Something weird happened just now where all the comments went away.

2. Love the acct. exec. coloring book. This is how I describe my AE friends at our agency (I'm a "creative"). Someone should do an Art Director coloring book. Not me though.
posted by Mister_A at 9:11 AM on October 5, 2006

at least it's not the executive strip paper doll set
posted by juliarothbort at 9:23 AM on October 5, 2006

Awesome, thanks for posting this!
posted by jonson at 9:31 AM on October 5, 2006

There have been imitations: The Account Executive Coloring Book and A Coloring Book for Lawyers.

Imitations? They're direct ripoffs, as in reprinting the actual art and captions with minimal changes (like substituting "lawyer" for "executive"). Sue the bastards!

I wish I were mahogany.
posted by languagehat at 9:33 AM on October 5, 2006

They're direct ripoffs...

Languagehat, I think we call these "mashups" here in world 2.0.
posted by Mister_A at 9:43 AM on October 5, 2006

It's no Law and Order coloring book, as posted previously.

I like these hipster-ironic coloring books. Presumably it would be easy to work the idea into the ground. I wish someone would.
posted by GuyZero at 9:44 AM on October 5, 2006

I'd seen some version of this before, but I had no idea how old it was. That's pretty subversive (and cool) for 1961. Could have worked well as a cross promo for Billy Wilder's "The Apartment" (also from around that time).
posted by psmealey at 10:03 AM on October 5, 2006

The art and clothes/haristyles don't match for 1961. Line weight and facial details, too. It's well done but I politely suggest bullshit on this being any older than 1994.
posted by Peter H at 10:07 AM on October 5, 2006

we call these "mashups"

No, if it was a mashup the images would be skillfully altered to contain iconic pop culture references.
posted by CynicalKnight at 10:10 AM on October 5, 2006

A-HA! Yup, the posted one is redrawn (traced) from an earlier verson. Here's one from 1978 - and here's an original less mahogony cover.
posted by Peter H at 10:15 AM on October 5, 2006

They are, you're just not hip enough to get them. But trust me, it's deeply hilarious.

OR IS IT!
posted by sonofsamiam at 10:20 AM on October 5, 2006

Well shoot - a little more looking suggests the one from '78 is a spoof as well - but the adland one is cleaned up too much. It really loses all impact in the way it's presented, bright white pages, touched up or traced linework, etc.
posted by Peter H at 10:22 AM on October 5, 2006

What are you smoking Peter H?
posted by caddis at 11:05 AM on October 5, 2006

(laughs) - well I'll admit to over-scrutinizing - the adtothebone link made the coloring book look fake. Or the way they presented it - at least.
posted by Peter H at 11:12 AM on October 5, 2006

If you would like to buy the original from which the scans were apparently made (see Brandon's posts 1 and 2) you can find it on eBay.
posted by caddis at 11:17 AM on October 5, 2006

I stick here a link to Executive Recreations which I apparenty wrote in 1998. They could also be considered short-attention-span recreations.

It's two fast games and two quick puzzles.
posted by hexatron at 11:17 AM on October 5, 2006

Budget non-recurring phenomenon co-operate option. General picture labor problem annuity, inventory kickback subsequently nonetheless.

Fiscal year notwithstanding company policy gross mark up. Debenture solid front. Government percent draft re-order renewable. Contractually solid front.
posted by Roger Dodger at 11:52 AM on October 5, 2006

"Your mail has been sent to 784 recipient(s)."

I just sent that link to all the students in my Kelley School of Business careers-class.

I don't think I will be able to use the internal email system ever again--let's take bets to see how loing it takes for my inbox to explode.

I say 48 hours.

.wires
posted by wires at 12:59 PM on October 5, 2006

MetaFilter: "Watch me take my round, pink pill ...and not care."
posted by loquacious at 2:20 PM on October 5, 2006

This is pretty much sums up my life phillosphy.
posted by oxford blue at 6:41 PM on October 5, 2006

Very few things make me laugh out loud, but this was one of them.

It takes a special, depraved, jaded sense of artistry to take something stupid like a coloring book and make it hilarious.
posted by rougy at 8:46 PM on October 5, 2006

The Executive Coloring Book is really from 1961, oh ye of little faith.
posted by dakotadusk at 3:14 AM on October 6, 2006

The customer (who smells bad) bears a remarkable resemblance to Edward G. Robinson.
posted by scratch at 10:26 AM on October 6, 2006

Update on sending this to my entire class:

****************************************

On 10/5/2006 8:12:11 PM ***** *. ****** wrote:

Eric,

I saw the "Executive Coloring Book" that you sent to all your classmates.

If this is how you feel about the world of business, why are you in the KSOB?

If this is your idea of humor, it is completely inappropriate to have shared beyond your immediate friends. Many of your classmates complained to me about this.

I think you owe all of them an apology for infringing on their class time.

Professor ******

****************************************

Professor ******:

First, I apologize for the time I took out of your day to have to deal with this issue. I`m sure you`d rather not spend your time reprimanding students for email jokes.

If you feel it would be appropriate, I am willing to send a pan-class apology via oncourse. I ask your advice because one response told me they did not want mail from me ever again.

To answer your question, I am graduating this December and I still don’t know why I’m in this school. At this point I’d just like to graduate with as little trouble as possible. My “joke” was obviously not the way towards my goal.

Again, apologies for wasting your time,

Eric Scott

****************************************

...Personally? I think she needs to take the pink pill.

But whatever, I need to graduate.
posted by wires at 1:01 PM on October 6, 2006 [1 favorite]

Also, I think a foreign student took me seriously.

Oops.

.wires
posted by wires at 1:02 PM on October 6, 2006

Also, I think a foreign student took me seriously.

Ha, stupid foreigners. Ignore that prof, keep sending those joke emails! You're making lots of connections here. Isn't that what b-school is all about???

.stupidsexyflanders
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:11 PM on October 6, 2006

Wires, while the idealism and earnestness with which your professor expresses herself is almost quaint, I can assure you, in the *actual* business world, people with a sardonic sense of humor are very common, and these got some pretty big laughs.

That said, please don't sign your posts.

.psmealey
posted by psmealey at 4:06 AM on October 7, 2006

Yes, that can lead to problems.

.Todd Lokken
posted by caddis at 6:00 AM on October 7, 2006