The Beautiful Island of San Serriffe - Doug Wilson

Recorded during TypeCon2015: Condensed in Denver, Colorado
On April 1, 1977 the British newspaper The Guardian published a seven-page “special report” about the island of San Serriffe. The island is located in the Indian Ocean and has a surprising semi-colon shape. The newspaper contained articles about the geography, culture, and economy of this small republic as well as advertisements from several international brands.
However, San Serriffe did not actually exist. The articles and advertisements were an April Fool’s Day joke that played on typographical printing and newspaper terms.
Although many have seen one or two small images from the newspaper, this talk will show all of the inside jokes and interesting articles and advertisements created for this elaborate joke. The talk will also give insight on how it played out in the British public life.