THE ESSENTIAL OUTDOOR ACCESSORY

Published in the mid-Nineties, this controversial double-page spread for Raleigh appeared in various men's style and music magazines, and remains one of my favourite design pieces.

The left hand panel features the Cerne Abbass Giant chalk drawing, but retouched so that he is holding a bicycle. At the time I was anxious that the client might want me to hide the Giant's erection, but to her credit, Marketing Director Yvonne Rix said that we could keep it in!

Advertising copy was written by Art Director Mike Conwill and sends up the Photoshop masterpiece with tongue firmly in cheek.

Knowing your equipment is up to the mark is essential for your enjoyment in the great outdoors. The new Raleigh Pioneer Trail combines the go anywhere qualities of a mountain bike with features like lightweight frame and active-suspension saddle to take the effort out of discovering the hidden and not so hidden parts of Britain's countryside. What's more, with its unique 15 year anti-corrosion warranty, you can be confident that you and your Pioneer will do more than stand up to the outdoor life.

The advertising campaign had several variations on the theme and we were praised for our 'cheekiness' in a number of design journals. One version features a Gainsborough portrait (of Mrs Brinsley Sheradon) with added bicycle.

This version was also to be used in a Raleigh poster campaign and so retouching work had to be absolutely perfect. Working with an enormous image file on a Macintosh computer, brushstrokes and paint cracks were blended in with the bike for authenticity. The right hand panel also features a product photograph suitably hung in an ornate gilt frame.