paint jobs on ad cars

[Saito2]

Does anyone know who was responsible for the magazine ads for Tamiya back in the 80's/90's? Was it the importer (i.e. MRC)? Did they create their own photos and copy or was it supplied by Tamiya in Japan? The reason I ask is I notice some cars strayed from boxart in the ads. For example the US Lunch Box ad featured a boxart Lunchie in 3 small action shots but forth the main picture had blue painted below the lightning bolt decal. This yellow/blue model was also in the small hobby shop mini-catalogs. The Super G ad had a completely custom designed paint scheme (also noted in the fine print). The Bullhead ad featured boxart paint but all the yellow bits (shocks, gearcase guards, etc.) were done in Clod Buster red. Along with the chassis, that was a lot of red. This always puzzled me, leading me to believe perhaps the Bullhead, at least, was a pre-production prototype.

[NWarty]

Paging Mr. Mokei. Mr. Mokei, please pick up the white courtesy phone

[Truck Norris]

Pretty sure it was MRC. Their logo is prominent, and the photos don't appear in any of the Japanese catalogues or handbooks. The photography style is a lot more elaborately staged (more use of props, with cars being crushed etc) than that of Tamiya Japan, who always used few props and a quite consistent angle of shooting.