Find out a bit more about Bruning via Forgotten Chicago.
I think the “ordinary translucent paper” mentioned in the ad copy might’ve been vellum or onionskin, but I could be wrong.
What the hell is Diazotype, you ask? MoMA has you covered.
“…an awe-inspiring flight over realistic scenery…”
Lies! All lies! See for yourself below.
Thanks to this software, and trying to learn how to fly on an Atari 1200XL computer connected to a black and white TV set in the mid-1980s, I decided that I did not want to become a pilot when I grew up.
I thought the vector art used in the ad and packaging was pretty nifty tho.
Ooh! subLOGIC had a Telex number! Fancy.
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Run away!
Fun fact: O.J. Simpson was once the Vice President of Promotions for Hyde Athletic (Spot-bilt’s parent company).
Another fun fact: Spot-bilt almost landed Michael Jordan back in the day before he went with Nike. Ouch.
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Fin de Siècle (translation: end of the century) — Merriam-Webster has one heck of another definition for it:
“of, relating to, or characteristic of the close of the 19th century and especially its literary and artistic climate of sophistication, world-weariness, and fashionable despair”
Fashionable despair.
Fashionable despair and beef tea.
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Pear’s Soap has several claims to fame.
It was the world’s first transparent soap.
It is the world’s oldest continuous brand.
And as chairman of the company, Thomas J. Barratt is known to some as the father of modern advertising.
Would you like to learn more about saponification? Of course you would! (You don’t.)
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It’s a lucky day when you’re flipping through an old comic book and happen upon one of the first, if not THE first, ad for General Mills Lucky Charms!
Fun facts: “The cereal was created by product developer John Holahan. He developed the original prototype based on Cheerios cereal pieces and chopped up pieces of his favorite candy – Circus Peanuts.”
Circus peanuts!?!? Noooooooooo!
“The marshmallow pieces in Lucky Charms are called ‘marbits.’”
Marbits!?!? Nooooooooo!
More Lucky Charms history can be found here.
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“The cucumber is nature’s telescope. With it, we see the universe.”
This is a promotional cup (and saucer) from Hendrick’s Gin that I picked up a while back.
If you go in search of what the heck that quote means, you will soon find yourself wanting to punch a linguist in the face.
“Remember, only you can prevent forest fires.”
— Smokey Bear
“Give a hoot. Don’t pollute.”
— Woodsy Owl
“Give the virus no assistance! Wash your hands and keep your distance!”
— Soapy the Pandemic Panda
Fun facts:
Plymouth paid Warner Bros. fifty grand to use the Road Runner name and likeness.
Hatched in 1968, the Plymouth Road Runner wasn’t discontinued until 1980.
And yes, Plymouth had a special beep-beep horn for it, developed by the Sparton Corporation of Jackson, Michigan. Hear it here.
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