AdFreak says goodbye to its art queen, Carly Tushingham

We’re a little teary around here this morning, because today we have to say goodbye to Carly Tushingham, AdFreak’s art director, who is leaving us for a more respectable publishing venture. Carly joined Adweek in June 2004 and helped launch AdFreak in November of that year. She’s been in charge of making this site look good ever since. Not only did she create our maniacal, spiky-haired (some would say freakish) mascot, but she’s dressed him up hilariously for just about every major (and minor) holiday of the year, from Valentine’s Day to Halloween. She’s fulfilled every art request, big or small, with speed and good humor, and she’s done more than a few off-the-cuff illustrations whenever we felt guilty about spending another damn $200 on a photo. She also prowled the streets armed with a camera during Advertising Week last year, coming face to face with the King and living to tell about it. Quite frankly, we’re not sure how we are going to survive here without her. Rather than mourn, though, let’s leave this post on a happy note. We want to wish Carly all the best in her new adventure. And we’re making Feb. 17 Carly Tushingham Appreciation Day, at least in our teeny corner of the universe.

—Posted by Catharine P. Taylor and Tim Nudd

February 17, 2006 | Permalink