Growing up in the 1980s, I vividly recall anti-drunk driving campaigns led by Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (M.A.D.D.) and Students Against Drunk Drivers (S.A.D.D.). Drunk driving and alcohol-related traffic accidents had become an epidemic which needlessly took the lives of so many young people. To combat this issue, Reader’s Digest magazine launched a nationwide contest in September 1985 for advertising agencies to design posters encouraging students not to drink and drive. Not surprisingly, some of these posters released in 1986 made their way onto the set of the Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department.
WHAT WAS THE READER’S DIGEST DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE POSTER CONTEST?
From September 1 to October 15, 1985, The Reader’s Digest held a contest for advertising companies to design “Don’t Drink and Drive” posters that would be distributed to more than 16,000 schools in the United States. This ad contest was followed by a national competition in which high school students could “win up to $20,000 in college scholarships for creating the best programs for combatting drunk driving.”
The ad contest winners were announced on November 1, 1985 after entries were judged by the board of directors of the One Club for Art and Copy of New York. The art director and copywriter who created the single best poster will win a week for two in Paris. They flew to France via the Concorde, stayed in a deluxe hotel and received $1,000 spending money.
The winning poster was designed by Fallon McElligot Rice ad agency of Minneapolis, Minnesota who was selected from 1,100-1,5000 entries (differing reports exist on the total number of entries received). The first-place poster featured Stevie Wonder’s face with a quote from the musician, “Before I’ll ride with a drunk, I’ll drive myself.”
Twenty-five finalists posters were also exhibited by Reader’s Digest at a special New York City showing in the fall of 1985.
Sadly, Stevie Wonder poster doesn’t show up in the show, but four other winning entries did. In July 1986, Sharna Loeb of the Reader’s Digest public relations department told Asbury Park Press‘s Patricia Samperi, Press Staff Writer and Linda Bazerjian, Press Correspondent, that demand for the posters was high.
“We’ve had 15,000 people respond wanting them,” she said.
Richard F. McLoughlin, Reader’s Digest vice chairman, told Tom Weber from the Post Bulletin on May 31, 1986 that the decision to distribute the 12 other posters was made after “the Stevie Wonder poster had such a big impact on teenagers. It’s important that teenagers see these posters and take their messages to heart.”
In addition to the posters being sent to high schools in the United States, people could order complete set of the 18-inch-by-25-inch posters for $7.50 from Reader’s Digest Reprint Editor in Pleasantville, New York. This might explain how the Twin Peaks set decorating crew obtained the posters.
It’s important to note that these posters are consider set decorations and are not actually props (things that would be handled by an actor). The set decorating team was responsible for adding these posters throughout the Sheriff’s station. Let’s take a look at the four posters which are seen in the show.
IS ONE OF YOUR CLASSMATES GOING TO KILL YOU THIS YEAR?
The first poster is seen in the background as Sheriff Harry S. Truman and Special Agent Dale Cooper walk down the hall in episode 1.001. There are other posters seen behind Special Agent Dale Cooper which will be the subject of different articles as they are not part of the drunk driving poster contest.
Featuring a group of students with some faces crossed out, the poster poses a question – “Is one of your classmates going to kill you this year?” It then reminds viewers, “Don’t drive drunk. Or ride with a drunk driver.” It’s a message from the Reader’s Digest Foundation. Despite exhaustive searches, I don’t know which advertising agency created this poster.
This poster isn’t seen often during the show. The “Classmates” poster is seen briefly before Agent Cooper and Sheriff Truman enter the conference room to meet Albert Rosenfield in episode 1.003.
Only a partial view is seen in episode 2.016 as Deputy Dale Cooper and Special Agent Albert Rosenfield walk down the hall.
THIS IS NO PLACE FOR A CLASS REUNION
You can spot the “Classmates” poster in this shot of Special Agent Albert Rosenfield and his team waiting for Sheriff Truman and Cooper to greet them in episode 1.002. The “Mom and Dad / I Use Drugs” poster is also seen in this image which is on the same bulletin board as the second poster.
This poster features students in a graveyard. A headstone carries the message, “This is no place for a class reunion.” Additional text on the poster reads: Last year, 15,000 teenagers were killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents. If you have been drinking, don’t drive. And if you see your friends drinking, tell them not to drive. You don’t have to be drunk to be hurt by drunk driving.” This poster is also a message from the Reader’s Digest Foundation, but no advertising agency is credited.
Of the four posters, this one is most frequently seen in the series.
The poster is seen as Truman and Cooper walk down the hall before entering the conference room to meet Albert in episode 1.003.
The poster reappears in episode 1.006 as Agent Cooper enters to conference room to see Waldo the Myna birda.
The “Class Reunion” poster appears in one of the most iconic images of Leland Palmer holding the “Have You Seen This Man?” poster during episode 2.003.
It’s barely visible in episode 2.004 when Deputy Andy Brennan is waiting to speak with Doc Hayward.
Later in the episode, it will appear out of focus behind Deputy Andy after his green vial rolls under the chairs in the lobby.
As Sheriff Truman escorts Lucy out of the Sheriff’s Department in episode 2.005, we catch a glimpse of the full poster image.
It’s hardly seen in episode 2.009 as Mr. Zipper replaces the overhead lights.
The similar shot of the poster is seen later in episode 2.009 as Ben Horne is brought into the station by Deputy Hawk and Agent Rosenfield.
When Dick Tremayne corners Deputy Andy in episode 2.012 to discuss Little Nicky, we get a great shot of both the “Mom & Dad” drug poster and the “Class Reunion” poster.
Both posters will be seen later in that episode when Lana follows Deputy Hawk in to the conference room.
The same conference room is seen in episode 2.014 when Mayor Milford spends time with Lana. Again, the “Class Reunion” and the “Mom & Dad” drug posters are seen on the bulletin board next to the conference room door.
As Deputy Andy Brennan practices spelunking in episode 2.018, we can see the same bulletin board with the “Class Reunion” poster.
The final time we catch a view of the “Class Reunion” poster is in episode 2.020 when Deputy Andy speaks with Lucy while holding pink boxes full of doughnuts.
DRIVE WHILE INTOXICATED, AND YOU’LL BE LUCKY IF IT’S A COP THAT STOPS YOU AND THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND
The final two posters appear briefly in only one episode in the show – episode 2.004 just after Deputy Andy Brennan accidentally runs into Lucy Moran causing her to spill a box with pre-packaged Kona blend coffee.
The first one hanging closest to the conference room features a car that crashed into a giant tree. It reads, “Drive while intoxicated, and you’ll be lucky if it’s a cop that stops you. When you drink, don’t drive.” Like the others, this poster was a message from the Reader’s Digest Foundation.
The final poster is hanging next to the car crash poster. The white poster has black text that reads: “Think of your best friend. Now, think of your best friend dead. Don’t drive drunk.”
I’ve also been unable to determine which ad agencies created these posters but they were both considered a message from the Reader’s Digest Foundation.
The four posters were most likely included as inexpensive background filler as broadcast quality in 1990 was quite limited compared to today. I’m happy to add these four posters to ever growing Twin Peaks prop and set decorating page.
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