By the 1950s, the prevalence of the THINK motto and THINK signs in American business and popular culture had garnered media attention—as well as the notice of cartoonists, satirists and other humorists. Humor rag MAD Magazine was one of several publications to parody IBM’s slogan with the phrase “THIMK.” That gave rise to other words and short phrases that similarly offered humorous contradictions, including “Plan Ahead,” with the last letters of “Ahead” appearing small and cramped.
THINK in the funny pages
Cartoonist Chon Day’s popular Brother Sebastian series, which depicted the life of a monk, began in 1954 and ran in Look magazine.
THIMK magazine cover from 1958
THIMK magazine, a satire magazine in the fashion of MAD, debuted in 1958.