Photos

I'm a-gonna tell you how it's gonna be
you're gonna give your love to me
a love to last a-more than one day
a love that's love - not fade away
a well, a-love that's love - not fade away
- "Not Fade Away" Buddy Holly and the Crickets (1957)

This image finds an old and fading painted advertisment for medicine next to the reflection of a modern plastic one for beer. The lyrics quoted above seemed appropriate not only because of their reference to fading away, but because I can imagine that song playing on a car radio as someone drove past, back when this sign was new.

The old ad is gritty, worn, textured, and original; the new one is slick, smooth, new, and endlessly reproducable. The first clings tenaciously to its perch on the side of this building; the second will be replaced next week with a different ad.

Don't get me wrong, I like new stuff: it's shiny, and it's satisfying in a consumerist kind of way that I enjoy without guilt. But the old stuff fascinates me, both its endurance and especially its aesthetics.

Take note -- if you happen to enjoy old advertising like I do, you'll love Ad *Access -- a huge, searchable database of old ads hosted by Duke University that should not be missed.