The #$@% Tab Painting

I found this painting in my parent's attic.  [Click on painting to enlarge.]  It used to hang in our family room in San Gabriel.  And somehow I thought that it had something to do with Diet Coke.  I would have left it at that, but in the recent appraisal done on the art and furnishings of the laguna house, my cousin Cynthia noted that the artist's name was Galen Perrett.  So I googled him and found that he lives in Texas and does beautiful still lifes, among other things.  This painting seemed not to line up with his other work.  So I emailed him.

The story I got back was a real treasure.  I'd never heard it before.  The painting had to do with the introduction of Tab, not Diet Coke.  Here it is, from Mr. Galen Perrett himself:

Wow does that painting bring back memories!

At that time, Coke was an independent corporation. My company, The Perrett Company, prepared the Annual Reports for the company, and I worked with Tom.

Your dad always told me that “the best decisions are made when you have all of the information.” We all know that you never really have “all” of the information, but your dad would always wait until the last minute to give his final approval to proceed. This was very frustrating at times, especially when we had to stop the printing presses and make a number change or two. The changes requested were absolutely proper though.

It was during one of these late night proofreading sessions that he “lost his cool” over some difficulties with the new Tab, and asked me to insert in that year’s Annual Report a series of “swear symbols” in reference to the new product, like you see in the cartoons…#@%*. I did so and then told him that it didn’t seem appropriate for a Coca-Cola Annual Report, and he agreed. I think that he would have removed them even if I hadn’t said anything.

This is what led to creating the painting you have. It was intended to poke fun at his concerns over Tab. If I remember properly, it was done in acrylics on canvas board. The “modern looking flowers” were meant to mimic the swear symbols, the music referred to an advertising jingle for One Calorie Coke the parent company produced. The photo in the picture alludes me as to its meaning. You might be able to guess at something upon closer inspection.

Your dad was always a very serious guy at the office, and it was difficult to get through to him. This painting broke the ice between us as far as I was concerned.

I worked with him on the Annual Reports for a number of years.

I don’t know if he might have saved a cardboard “Coke” deliver truck that we designed as a gift for visitors taking a tour of the remodeled and updated main office in Los Angeles when they enhanced both the interior and the exterior in its famous “ship” theme. We had airline stewardesses in custom-made sailor outfits guide the tours.

The Perrett Company, and I, enjoyed a long relationship with the Company. We also produced their employee magazine, and a few other promotional materials.

I am happy to see the picture again and to have a copy of it. If there is anything else I can help you with please don’t hesitate to contact me again.  Best regards, Galen

Now go back and look at those flowers and you'll see the expletive symbols.  And a reference to "one crazy calorie" - the first slogan for Tab.

This past week, sister-in-law Jenny found a carbon of a letter that dad sent to Galen in January 1973 thanking him for a bottle of wine.  Classic dad. [Click on letter to enlarge.]