Advertising Trivia

Most research projects I have to complete are fairly boring. History of asbestos flooring, the affects of “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso on society and other winning topics have flooded my past. I recently got a pretty good research topic, Extreme Ideas in advertising. I’ll hit a few highlights.

1840
“The Greatest Show on Earth.”
Of course I’m talking about P.T. Barnum’s circus. Sure the circus was great, but the big deal is that he is the father of advertising. Barnum was the first person to document the increase in sales based on the increase in hype and public events. In a way my profession has roots in the circus. Cool.

1920s
“Always a Bridesmaid Never a Bride”
Listerine was invented and intended to be a general antiseptic. After exploring various uses, Gerard Lambert asks if it does anything for breath. Well, sure enough a scientist rummages through some doctor magazines and finds Halitosis, a fancy name for bad breath. Lambert begins building hype about the dreaded disease Halitosis and educates the public. Mind you in the 1920s people bathed once a week and the soap from animal soap often smelled worse than B.O. Lambert pushed an ad campaign about Halitosis causing people to be single. He started in 1922 and made $115,000 in profits. By 1929 he was making more than eight million a year.

1930s
The Secret about Santa
Ever wonder where the idea of Santa came from? The first story introducing Santa, a golly man to slide down chimneys came about in 1822. Slowly people begin interpreting him in a variety styles ways and colors. A certain company sold beverages and needed a way to push their drink as winter refreshment. They decided to use Santa and began refining his look. He must be friendly, round, wear big black boots, and of course feature the red an white corporate colors. Thus, the Coca-Cola Santa was born. Haddon Sundblom painted every image featuring Santa and Coke. Sundblom did nothing but paint Santas year round from 1930-1950. By 1940 Sundblom’s Santa took over. It became common knowledge that Santa has to wear red and white and thus the public had a unified vision of Santa. Funny how there are campaigns to keep Christ out of Christmas, but we can’t lose Coke. Ah the joys of "halmark holidays." Advertising Nirvana.

Pity Pepsi. They must hate Christmas.