copiers share many characteristics with computers. Several brands (e.g. QMS, Canon (3), Minolta, Panasonic, Tandy, Brother (4, 5)) in one way or another say it with elephants. Minolta (in a 1999 advert for copiers) looks at it the other way round and illustrates the concept placing head and tail end next to each other. Panasonic (in 1986) reports how an elephant cruised from Brussels to New-York at 500 times the speed of sound abord a miniature device, their fax machine.

(4) and (5) is a typical example. The text mentions an elephant's memory, a heavyweight processor and endurance. A bit weird though as both adverts start with The new HL-2060 laser printer from Brother … and are identical except for the footer where we can discern some small differences. This is most peculiar in this business, considering the fact that the first advert dates from 1998 (4) and the second from 2000 (5).

contrast of big against small is a temptation difficult to resist. The Canon copier (7) reduces to the life. The spasmodic text starts with Zoologists dabbling with genetics, but also Einsteins, Corbusiers and other Edisons can copy to their hart's content with this speed-devil —And make their stingy accountant happy.
QMS printers (in 1995) tell us Heavy weight for a price that doesn't scare you … and place a mouse against an elephant (see Mice No. 3).

haemorrhoids (8) alludes to the therapeutic effect of a mud bath. It is one of the rare adverts relating to the behaviour of elephants. A wild boar, a warthog or a pig all fall for a heavenly wallow in a mud bath but, I imagine, they were considered less appropriate — none the less they are sometimes cast, e.g. [Illustration 4].

their mother's tail to follow her”, as we learn from a Siemens computer ad in 1990. In exactly the same way the brand's PCs could be linked to servers. In 1992 computer forms (pinfeed for needle printers) also were advertised with an allusion to the tail.
Some products are able to add an extra element to this primitive network. Our large strides in memory have led us into networking of a brand selling networking components and memory upgrades (in 1995) brings in the memory factor. Another brand of memory upgrades (in 1998) underlines the image of an elephant's head with Quality to remember.

symbol for adventure. The South-African Airlines ad (14) is a neat example where the animal means wildlife and safari-adventure.

will find vehicles in this section. The elephant in the landscape (9) stands for escape, discovery, adventure. Apart from that, the advert is awfully stupid in ascribing features of the 4×4 to the defenseless animal. The next advertisement (10) has a problem built in. The setting adheres to the language but the opener Follow the leader of this brochure isn't exactly a winner if you need to sell escape, standing out of the bunch and adventure. I do agree that the car is shown as the leader of the pack, but still. That is probably why the second page corrects with … felt far away of the herd in an oversized font.

A Panda to dash into the savanna blares a 1983 double page advert for the Fiat Panda. The vehicle is shown with a background of elephant in the savanna. The choice of the species comes as a surprise (the designer probably had a problem linking adventure and energetic to the animal that automatically springs to the mind), but apart from that (I am repeating myself) the advert is awfully stupid. Note: for technical matters car brands often rely on Penguins !

(6) is special in several aspects. First : it is not about cars, but about robust notebook computers. Second : the elephant here stands for imminent disastre. Really a very uncommon casting of pachyderms. Pitty that the supporting picture so clearly is a digital montage.

this page witness the importance of propping heaps of power and memory and networking in ever smaller boxes. It is more important however to put the right amount into the right package. In other words : rightsizing. That is what we want.
You can't downsize an elephant says the enterprise business solution software of No. 11. Yes you can, says the dishwasher (12). And proves with adult and young how you can save immoderate amounts of water. Yes you can, says Gupta (in 1994) and illustrates with elephants how some systems naturally rightsize while others need Gupta's software.

together to protect you” (13) is, just like 14, worth noticing because it is a localized approach of a feeling (protection, warmth) often suggested with fluffy pets. We have a similar approach with a mother bear with young.

puzzling that copywriters routinely work with size and memory of an elephant, but only rarely try something with the fascinating trunk. We've written already that the dish washer (12) carries the idea of rightsizing. We do care for the environment in using the appropriate amount of water. The idea is supported by the baby elephant generating a water fountain with its trunk. Our sample 15 illustrates a second well known use of the trunk : as a precision instrument. In No. 16 it is the shape of the trunk which is important, not the function.

page stating that You want the power, not the size. But sometimes you really need the size. That is the case in No. 17 where for once no contrast is needed, not power in a match box, but a huge press like a powerful animal.