The Brotherhood of Chikuma

I'm told I'm a very lucky guy. In that I have good health. I have financial stability (as much as one can possibly have in these turbulent times.) I raised two wonderful daughters. And I had a loving marriage that lasted 29 years --26 of them were happy, as the old Henny Youngman joke goes.

I don't do it enough, but I need to soak in the bath of gratitude once in a while.

Today is one of those days, as evidenced by the screengrab of last week's Zoom call with my colleagues/friends from Team One.

When did I work at Team One, the agency that literally built the Lexus brand, you may ask? 

Way back in the halcyon days of 1993. We, I'm referring to the Creative Department, came after the heyday demonstration ads created by Court Crandall, Kirk Souder, Mike Mazza, Steve Silver and more. All legends in their own right. 

You young ad kids would do well to study their work. Elegant. Simple. And dependent upon the intelligence and discernment of the viewer/reader. 

In their wake, we came in and had what they never had, a CMO from Japan who barely spoke English. A toddler's understanding of marketing. And a vocal belligerence that rivaled the Captain in Bridge over the River Kwai. 

It was Advertising Hell.

And for that experience, I am grateful. 

Because in that misery was forged a lasting friendship that has sustained itself for close to 30 years. Like last week's Zoom call, we have been getting together, sharing stories, busting chops and keeping up with each other's lives for as long as I can remember. 

We have that rarest of bonds -- familiarity. And often pick up where we left off, whether it's on a call or the fortunate, though rare, occasion when we hoist beers and bourbon in person. As a result, we often break down into fits of laughter that have us reaching for the Ben Gay the following day.

Last week's gathering was smaller than usual. For reasons unknown, we missed the presence of John Hage, Robert Prins, Jeff Spiegel and the inimitable Stan Toyama, whose spot-on impression of our curt marketing overlord never fails to trigger painful flashbacks and riotous chuckles.

Perhaps they will join us next time. And Matty can re-enact his on-the-fly riffing about the Focus Group of one schizophrenic guy.

"I hated that commercial, why is he wearing a blue shirt?" he said.

"Well, I loved it," he replied.

"I don't like the drawings in the cartoon," he also replied.

Adding, "Why is it a cartoon?"

And finally, "Are there any more M&M's."

Maybe, I'm not doing it justice. Maybe you had to be there. Hopefully next time everyone will be. 

Thanks gents, I love you all.