Most of you are probably at least somewhat familiar with Minuteman Press, the franchised chain of business-to-business print shops. Founded on Long Island in 1973, they now have over 1,000 outlets scattered across the United States and in several other countries. Although Minuteman’s business has evolved over the years — in addition to printing, they currently offer a wide range of design, promotion, sign-making, and merchandising services — there’s been one constant: the company’s clock-headed mascot character, a visual play on the “Minuteman” brand name.
I’ve seen that clock-headed guy countless times over the years. But when I recently walked by a Minuteman Press shop in New Jersey and saw the mascot standing watch on the front door (as seen in the photo above), it felt like the first time I’d really seen him, and he suddenly struck me as an underappreciated mini-masterpiece. Sure, there are plenty of other characters and performers who have large, round objects for heads — think Mr. Met, the Nedicks logo guy, Mayor McCheese, pumpkin-head scarecrows, and even the Residents — but those other examples all have human-seeming faces (or, in the case of the Residents, at least an eyeball), whereas the Minuteman guy can’t make eye contact, wink, smile, smirk, raise his eyebrows, or execute any of the other facial maneuvers that usually define a character’s personality. Yet something about him has always felt friendly and professional, which is a testament to the character’s physical charisma.
As I looked at the character on the New Jersey shop’s door, I was also intrigued by the time shown on his face. Most clocks and watches shown in advertising and in retail display cases are set to 10:10, in part because the minute and hour hands create an aesthetically pleasing “smiley face” effect. But the Minuteman mascot’s face was set to 11:22. I figured the company founder’s birthday must have been November 22nd, or something like that.
When I got home, I did a bit of poking around on the internet and learned that the clock-headed character is literally called Clock Head — that’s his official moniker. (I assumed he was called the Minute Man or something along those lines.) I also found that he has a whole portfolio of poses:
