We Created a Version of Goodnight Moon for the Marketing Industry

Design Feature: Goodnight Moon Parody

By Meghan Britton-Gross

Parodies are great. They range from TV shows to commercials to movies to presidents, and the list goes on. Even books aren’t sacred. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was a huge hit. It made fun of Jane Austen! Well, we have jumped on the train as well with Goodnight Marketers, a Goodnight Moon parody.

When I had my first child nearly four years ago, I was somehow unaware of Goodnight Moon. I’m not sure how I missed it. My parents focused more on Peter Rabbit, I guess. So when I was given a gift set with the board book and stuffed rabbit in striped pajamas, I wasn’t sure what to think. The colors were gaudy as all get out and kinda scared me. My daughter, on the other hand, loved it. I now have a 1-year-old, and it is one of her favorites as well. I’m not sure why it’s such a big thing. I’m guessing that it’s the bright colors and the cadence of the copy.

We have an amazing team here, so finding talent to complete my challenge wasn’t too hard. Copywriter Amanda Luedeke and graphic designer Katie Briner were given the following brief: Write and illustrate a Goodnight Moon parody in the same style as the book but from an agency perspective. The ladies did not disappoint.

Let’s start with the writing first. Amanda was more than up for the challenge when I explained the concept. Her approach? “I tried to match the rhyme scheme and meter to the original poem, while also trying to maintain the general idea of what’s supposed to happen in the story,” she explained. “And of course, when it came to choosing the things that you’d find in the marketing room, I went with some stereotypical items, such as alcohol (thanks toMad Men, everyone assumes that marketers are always drinking), and I also went with items that are more true to what it’s like to work in marketing — designers arguing with writers and uneaten dinners and such.” So for the record, we don’t drink or argue … much, and the two are almost never at the same time.

Goodnight Moon is one of those books that parents tend to shake their heads at. There’s a blog post from The Ugly Volvo that nails pretty much every problem. My favorite problem is the colors. What’s the problem with them? They are one of the defining characteristics of this book. Luckily, Katie fully understood how key the colors are and matched them tone for tone. Additionally, she handwrote our title so it would look just like the original source.

We hope you enjoy it. We had a blast putting it together.

Goodnight Marketers

In the room where ads are born. There was a red pen. And a sense of forlorn. And a project that —

Needed finished by morn

And there were three designers disagreeing with writers. And uneaten dinners. And overheating printers. And a bottle of scotch. And the account manager’s watch.

And a mock-up and design and a midnight chime

And a creative director saying, “it’s time.”

Goodnight room where ads are born

Goodnight deadline. Goodnight project that was to be finished by morn.

Goodnight red pen. And the sense of forlorn. Goodnight designers. Goodnight writers.

Goodnight dinners. And goodnight printers. Goodnight swipe. And goodnight type.

Goodnight watch. And goodnight scotch. Goodnight mock-up. And goodnight design.

Goodnight job ticket. And goodnight midnight chime.

And goodnight to the creative director saying, “It’s time.”

Goodnight desks. Goodnight chairs.

Goodnight marketers everywhere.

If you liked this, check out our other popular Design Features.

Britton Marketing & Design Group

Follow BMDG on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Subscribe to our newsletter

Artwork: BMDG