Colour Schemes and corporate image whippersnappers.
 

Remember when (that qualifies this post for Nostalgia) airlines took pride in a ‘smart’ colour scheme. Look where the corporate image whippersnappers have taken us. What makes it worse, this particular colour scheme went from Britannia, one of the world’s best - to the world’s worst! How can anyone do that to an aircraft :{ :{ :{

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/cumpas/by.jpg

I to pine for the days when a livery meant something.
What I wonder is the effectiveness of this brash form of advertising, given that most passengers don't actually get even a glimpse of the aircraft they are travelling on, given the covered jetways, and lack of observation decks and viewing points. Is it aimed at ramp agents, tower controllers, pilots and spotters? Quite a small target group I should think. It was a sad day indeed, when I observed the "Simpsons" cartoon characters emblazoned on the fuselage of a Jumbo.

It was a 737 of Western Pacific, wasn't it?

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0766076/L/

Or was there another one?

Groundloop
 

That "Simpsons" 737 is an abomination for sure, not a Jumbo, but perhaps the one my fuzzy memory recalls. I've seen Disney characters, Vegas Show Girls, cars, animals, etc. If an airliner was sporting graffiti, I'd be hard pressed to tell if it was advertising or an act of vandalism.

you have to admit they do bring a smile to your face ..... :p

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0487348/M/

The Japanese were/are fond of umm... embellishing their 747s with cartoon characters; maybe one of them is the "Jumbo" you recall. Finnair did something similar with the Moomins MD-11. Alaska Airlines is now one of the worst offenders with 2 garish Disney paint jobs, the salmon scheme and another 'special' in the works I understand.
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1135035/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1128218/M/