Cards Against Humanity - xmas 2017 campaign

Murray GM January 14, 2018

As you probably already know, I really like cards and card systems. The game Cards Against Humanity is a brilliant example of an open card system and I've posted before about one of the additional sets.

The other thing that they are famous (infamous?) for, are their seasonal promotions. They have always rejected the traditional marketing dirge sent out around Black Friday and 'The Holidays', by creating some funny and often contentious campaigns. A few years back they sold literal bullshit to people at $5.80 a pop (more on that here). Then there was the Cards Against Humanity digs a really big hole campaign (that one really pissed people off). The 2017 campaign was equally great: Cards Against Humanity Saves America, well someone has too.

It’s 2017, and the government is being run by a toilet. Last month, 150,000 people paid Cards Against Humanity $15 to save America with six days of incredible surprises. Throughout December, we will reveal the surprises here.

At $15 it was a no brainer. They've always done interesting stuff and given plenty to good causes. To be honest I wasn't expecting much to come my way, just hoped to see some hijinx and the odd piece Trump lampooning, boy was I wrong.

For each of the Six Days I receive a letter and some cards (always great) and then some other things supporting that day's specific campaign. The days are as follows:

CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY STOPS THE WALL
THE GOOD NEWS PODCAST
CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY REDISTRIBUTES YOUR WEALTH
CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY DESTROYS HOMEWORK
CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY’S PULSE OF THE NATION
CARDS AGAINST HUMANITY SAVES BASEBALL

I'm not going to get into the ideas of campaigns here, I'll add links at the bottom. Today I'm just sharing all the ephemera. First up, the letters:

Then there are all the cards, here's a selection of my favourite combos:

And finally here's some of the other things that I received.

However, I can't for the life of me understand why they decided to save baseball.

Way more than you'd expect for $15. Great work, great idea and lets hope they can continue to create challenging, frivolous and wonderful projects.

Anyway, here are a few additional links to the campaigns and issues:

Oblique Strategies

Murray GM January 31, 2016

Got a pack of the Oblique Strategies cards by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt. I've known about them for a while but was reminded of them recently after seeing this pic of David Bowie's deck.

"David Bowie’s (well used) copy of Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt’s Oblique Strategies." https://t.co/rAAgE9Cbdv pic.twitter.com/8MCUsHPkAa
— otolythe (@otolythe) January 11, 2016

I was so happy to discover you can still get these from Brian Eno's site. They are the perfect tool for overcoming creative block and reinvigorating any project. The set contains over 100 (103 in my pack) of simple yet perfect nudges to open your mind - far more useful than the many convoluted 'frameworks' that consultancies like to flog.

Marshall McLuhan's Distant Early Warning card deck

Distant Early Warning: A deck of cards from Marshall McLuhan

Murray GM September 5, 2015

I've always been a big Marshall McLuhan fan. As a young graphic design student the books created in collaboration with Quentin Fiore changed my outlook on what a 'serious book' could look like. They helped me understand that the designer is never neutral or passive to the content. So when I found out about this deck of cards "Distant Early Warning" via @openculture I had to see if I could get hold of a set.

Well it was much easier than I'd have expected and also rather fantastic. You can get them from Eric McLuhan's website (Marshall's son) http://ericmcluhan.com/ not only that but you need to email him to get them. So I ended up dealing with Andrew McLuhan (Marshall's grandson), talk about a family business. This gave the whole experience a wonderfully personal touch.

The cards are fantastic and are real playing cards rather than simply prompt cards. I think this might be one of the first examples of playing cards as a non military political/social tool. Military propaganda units have used playing cards since before WWII as a means to both identify and lampoon their enemies. Considering the publishing date of 1969, (when anti Vietnam War sentiment was high) I couldn't help but be reminded of the anti Gulf War cards released to counter the real Gulf War 'Most Wanted' Cards - Alternative Regime Change. Although there's no overtly antiwar messaging in McLuhan's deck.

There are some wonderful statements in the deck. It's full of the humour, sharpness and provocativeness that you can't help but associate with McLuhan. A fabulous object with several pithy statements that seem as apt today as ever, especially these 4:

McLuhan Distant Early Warning 10 spades

McLuhan Distant Early Warning 10 Hearts

McLuhan Distant Early Warning 10 Diamonds

McLuhan Distant Early Warning 9 Clubs

McLuhan Distant Early Warning Rules

Here's the link again to get your own pack: http://ericmcluhan.com/

Designers have fabulously foul mouths

Murray GM August 5, 2015

Just received my Design Cards Against Humanity expansion pack (and some others). A wonderful example how truly filthy mouthed designers can be.

Iraq war alternative regime change playing cards

Murray GM November 3, 2010

Graphic design in the service of opposition, protest or giving a voice to those that don't have one has always been an interest of mine. I've got tonnes of stuff from politically charged individuals who use their talents to disrupt, upset and challenge the status quo. I'll be digging them out over the next few months.

The Regime Change Begins at Home playing cards were a lovely response to the US-led coalitions Most Wanted playing cards - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most-wanted_Iraqi_playing_cards. The cards were designed by Noel Douglas, check out his site for more "Graphic Agitation" - http://www.noeldouglas.net/

You can still get them here: http://www.thenewpress.com/index.php?option=com_title&task=view_title&metaproductid=1511