Mt. Rainier and Lenticular Clouds - Dec. 2008 copyright: JMM

August 29, 2007

Outstanding In Her Field

Earlier today Susan and I were emailing about our excitement over the upcoming college football season. I asked her why Michigan's colour was called "maize" instead of "yellow" or "gold" and she emailed back that maybe they are "outstanding in their field". That brought to mind the extremely amusing Clover Stornetta Dairy billboards that appear along Highway 101 in Sonoma County, California. Every time we headed north, which was frequently, I would eagerly anticipate a new billboard and try to snap a photo of it. They are the masters of very punny Clo the Cow jokes, such as the apron see below, "At Clo's Range"...
...and their "Eclological" grocery sack (that's Clo the cow, ain't she cute?)....

...not to mention their trucks, "Moona Lisa, a Classic Pitcher."

I have a few photos of other billboards and trucks, but it would take an act of congress to scare them up out of my photo albums, especially since I am posting this from work, so I hope you check out the link below. I tried to right-click on the pictures, but unfortunately that's not an option. There will be a line of cartoon photos with different years. Click on the photos and the billboards will display. They are really cute.
http://cloverstornetta.com/clothecow/billboards.html
Here's Clo at a parade, and I have photos of her at the Fairfax Festival parades too.
The only black eye the company got, which was incredibly STOOPID, was the time they did a "Jacques Closteau" billboard. The Cousteau family got wicked pissed off and sued the dairy for trademark infringement. I believe that they settled out of court and Clover Stornetta had to make a sizeable donation to the Cousteau Foundation or something. I just thought it was so lame that they took offense at the adorable parody, but that they sued a little, local, family-owned dairy over it was so unnecessary. But what can you expect from the freakin' French anyway. They have no sense of humour.

25 comments:

  1. They are definitely clever and funny but I fear the well is running dry. The latest one I saw was incredibly off the mark wrt it being a Clo pun. If I can remember what it was, I'll let you be the judge but after all these years, what can one expect?

    Next time I hit 101 I'll see if it's still up on the billboard (something else that is fast disappearing but we still have here in Sonoma. And you know? I rather like them, actually.

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  2. I imagine that there are only so many Clo puns they can make and they have been at it an awfully long time. Still though, I miss them a lot.

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  3. OMG, I now feel weird about that crazy Cousteau family. That's such a completely stupid thing to get torqued over. ??

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  4. i remember clover stornetta.

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  5. HA! Found yer blog Julie. Now you're gonna have to start blogging regularly. Consider yerself "outed". ;P

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  6. I think if I was a member of the Cousteau family I'd be happy for the publicity! You're right JoJo...The French have no sense of humor.

    Cute Cow :)

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  7. no no i don't have no time to do bloggy with you. i am a casual participant.

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  8. great. now you've popped my blog cherry and i'll have to fondle my sweaty sweater puppies.

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  9. Great, now you're gonna get Brian and Mark all hot n bothered.

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  10. that's their problem. they'll just have to go cuff their carrots.

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  11. "i'll have to fondle my sweaty sweater puppies."

    Nicely lathered up instead of sweaty is more conducive to carrot-cuffing.

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  12. is clo supposed to be scaaaarrry? that's one mean lookin' cow. i'd be hard pressed to milk her! actually, her smile sorta reminds me of jack nicholson in batman.

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  13. Anonymous10:23 AM

    julie...

    soapy sweater puppies for Mark.

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  14. heeeeeeyyyyyyyyy i just wanted to let you know jojo, that i have decided to continue on with the stories. so, NYC Lights has been updated and Chapter 7 has been posted!! :)

    check it out. i like this chapter lol

    www.nyclights.blogspot.com

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  15. mooooooooooooooooooooooo

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  16. And just think, JoJo, I emailed you about French drivers before I'd read this. Psychic or what?

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  17. Val - when you emailed me about the French drivers, I was wondering if you'd just come from my blog!

    Fen - Clo's not scary, she's adorable! I LOVE Clo the Cow!

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  18. Anonymous5:27 PM

    Love your blog, Jo!

    EB

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  19. that is a rather odd looking cow....

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  20. Hey EB! Thanks for stopping by!

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  21. Holy cow, Mark, you're such a perv!

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  22. You guys love it. Admit it...

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  23. of course we do, Mark.

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  24. I aim to please, Julie!

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  25. Anonymous7:52 PM

    julie.

    Thank you, Mark.

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