I think I can let these pictures pretty much tell the main story. Here is the text of the advert (image).
Yes, that’s Richard Saunders. He has a habit of photographing everything with his phone. And after he’s photographed it? I get an email and Dr Rachie gets an email. And we usually try to fire back some sharp comment about the food he’s got a snap of, or the scenery or how he’s clearly got himself into another pickle of some sort.
One of these days he’ll get lost in some weird circumstances and only she and I will have the ability to trace back his steps over the past few hours and alert the authorities. 
Oh, look! That’s me! I has paper too! Must be a national publication, because he’s in Sydney and I’m in Perth.
Heee!!! And to think that today started with someone trying to make me feel like I contribute nothing to the world. With friends like these and times like this – I think that maybe being a skeptically-minded person isn’t a completely divisive thing to be. A refreshing change and always welcomed.
Get your copy if you can and you can check out the official site at www.skeptics.com.au.
Update! More pics!
Here is Dave the Happy Singer, the much-loved comedy styling genius that you can hear on the Skeptic Zone podcast! He was a major hit during the Melbourne YAS talks and he regularly appears on the Think Tank – his site is the very-enjoyable-to-drop-into-casual-conversation
www.davethehappysinger.com.
Here’s FuzzTwin! According to Twitter, they are a science-mad, flying, weightlifting, skeptical, aspie atheist determined to make woo-woo charlatans STFU. With a shy, alluring pose here, they take to the stage with today’s page!
In addition, here is the very beautiful and completely overshadowing Richard’s sexy effort, Purplefae! She’s
the girlfriend of Dave, an activist, seamstress, DLC board member, self-professed geek, filmmaker and an artist who is not afraid to show her true colours. I think these three are setting the standards for future pics, people, so start taking some and pop a link in the comments!


{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
congratulations! tis’ awesome indeed! *skips off to buy my copy!
Grats
Because nothing says “informed scientific commentary” like Comic Sans.
Good work, can we see what the text actually says ?
Scan will be up in about half an hour and added to the blog post.
From page 9 of one paper to the front page of the online edition of another…. Have you seen this?
Accupuncture for pets
Text now added – pdf format.
Horray!!!!
Wow! Should be interesting times ahead. Should I get the popcorn?
Well done to everyone involved, lets hope some people take notice.
Nice work! But minus points for using Chalkboard as a font. Please choose a real font next time!
Yeah, I am NOT a font fan of it at all! :p But it does grab attention regardless… send in a font-friendly letter of appreciation to the skeptics’ site!
There was a typo that slipped past whoever proofread it, and I totally agree on the font. It’s horrid. However, I suppose we could claim it’s child-related, hence the kiddie-friendly typeface.
i hate to be a font nazi but the offending typeface is Comic Sans and not Chalkboard or at least in my Mac designer world could be a PC font thang. KTHXBAI. xox
Font-recognition for the win.
Nice one Catherine!
This summarises my feelings on the font.
I would take a picture but
1) the paper won’t be in
2) purplefae wins teh sexy hands down (sorry Dave)
It’s ok Sean. When I realised I couldn’t top her in the sexy stakes, I did the only thing I could. I asked her out.
My sexy skeptical pose with vaccination ad is here: http://twitpic.com/cyel8
Actually, no, it’s Chalkboard. Sorry.
I already knew it wasn’t Comic Sans because I didn’t vomit when I saw it but then I checked it against my fonts AND looked at the font properties in the PDF. It’s Chalkboard.
Oh, and I’m a Mac-based designer too
I agree it’s an “iffy” choice. I wasn’t willing to say anything earlier but since others have… I think it’s mostly irrelevant in this instance. If it is to run again, I think it would make an interesting topic for discussion since there are many angles to the debate and the ad will have to walk a big, wide, fuzzy line between professionalism, officialism (looking like a Health Department ad) and being noticed and believed by those who are supposed to read it.
Regardless of that. Excellent job and well done to everyone who made it happen. Let’s not get hung up on a font choice eh? (He says, after entering the debate)
Bastard Sheep Blue Anti-Vax Steel
NonSense Podcast Blue Anti-Vax Steel
and finally
Tim Blue Anti-Vax Steel
Phone wouldn’t stay still, but you get the picture.
Woof.
http://twitpic.com/cye1q
…and my pic. Better late than never?
point taken and agreed Andy D, regardless of fonts – the message is indeed clear and an excellent job by the Australian Skeptics and Dick Smith
you all rock!
Andy D. You’re right, it’s not Comic Sans, but it’s not Chalkboard either. Or at least not the Chalkboard font that I am familiar with. Any other suggestions?
This campaign was full of so much win that I’m not bothered about the heading font in the ad, really. I’m only chiming in because I love identifying fonts . Also, the rest of the ad. design was very neat, clear and easy to read. Great work Australian Skeptics Inc.!
Actually, it’s not Chalk Board (two words), I guess it probably is Chalkboard (one word), considering Andy D checked the font properties in the PDF (der, I didn’t read that the first time).
Oh Shit! this crap has reached australia???
Well more power to Australian Skeptics, and please make sure you get the Tabloid TV shows to understand how dangerous a special “Jabs that KILL!!” piece to camera by Tracey Grimshaw or Derryn Hinch (or whoever?? I don’t live there anymore) could be. I hope you manage to avoid the nonsense and hysteria being pedalled by dickwits in the alternative quackery circuit.
hey that could be a typeface! dickwit…
xx
Dammit… I’ve checked a number of stores and a few libraries here. None carry The Australian. The libraries carry a big one from Melb. The SMH, The West Australian… But not The Australian :/
Here’s mine taken at sydney skeptics in the pub last night.
The ad was designed by the wife of our Executive Officer, Hilda Mendham. I personally don’t give a rats about the typeface (TYPEFACE people, not FONT). It is about the message and IMHO the use of chalkboard or Comic sans does not detract from the message. You have all seen the placement on the page 9, right I assume – the ad leaps out of the page. I would write something in wing dings so you can all have fun translating it – that means you Mr Birch, but K’s blog will not allow me to.
So here it is in the default typeface; Meryl Dorey’s head has asploded.
Dr Rachie, I don’t think it’s THAT mean-spirited, what everyone is saying. But it does look a little… informal a choice as a typeface. As I can see, whilst tastes vary from ‘not too keen’ to ‘meh’, everyone is still posing with the pic and I think we all appreciate that it does stand out (as you said).
The most important thing is the ‘asploded’. I’m sure that everyone here applauds the impact this publishing has on the case and if people haven’t seen, the mainstream media have picked up on it!
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/07/2649266.htm
The url link for the pdf is broken ! [It's now been fixed].
I really need to stop tweeting when out on a Friday night…
Hunted high and low for a copy of the paper but it doesn’t seem to come in to NZ any more and the library only has electronic versions.
Thanks to @SkepticZone (spelt correctly this time…) for uploading the PDF. Here’s my contrib for the #avngallery.
http://phodroid.com/09/08/qvzbrs
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