Posts Tagged ‘advertising’
NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY
UNEEDA BISCUIT
In one of my earlier postings, I showed you one of my favorite recipe pamphlets from the National Biscuit Company. I’ve received many comments from my readers about this pamphlet, so here’s a bit more information.
I recently ran across a wonderful book, The Public Accepts: Stories Behind Famous Trade-Marks, Names and Slogans, by I. E. Lambert, Published by The University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, NM, 1941. This is a fascinating read and I advise you to keep your eyes open for a copy of your own.
UNEEDA BISCUIT
The National Biscuit Company was organized in February, 1898. At that time crackers were sold in cracker barrels. As a rostrum for the village statesmen the cracker barrel was not a bad idea, but it was a definite evil for the cracker industry. The shopping housewife, upon her return home, often opened her brown paper bag to find that she had purchased broken, stale, and dirty crackers.
Mr. Adolphus W. Green, chairman of the Board of the National Biscuit Company, conveived the idea of selling a fresh and clean soda cracker in a small, attractive package and giving the cracker a distinctive name as a remedy for the menace of the cracker barrel.
In August, 1898, a suggested list of possible names for the new product was submitted, such as “Hava Cracker,” “Usa Cracker,” “Taka Cracker,” etc. The name “Uneeda” was also on this list, and finally, after some hesitation, it was adopted. The word “Uneeda” was probably the first coined combination of words which are so frequently used today for trade names.
In January, 1899, preparations were complete. One morning the people of Chicago and other Illinois cities woke to discover in the newspapers two mysterious words printed in bold type: “UNEEDA BISCUIT.” This suggestive combination of letters aroused the curiosity of the purchasing public and the venture was a succcess almost overnight.
A few months later, Mr. Joseph J. Geisinger, seeking to illustrate the moisture-proof properties of the new package, dressed his young nephew, Gordon Stille, in boots, sou’wester, and slicker, put a package of “Uneeda Biscuit” under his arm, and took him to the photographer. When Mr. Green saw the result he was delighted. Thus the “Uneeda Boy” was added to the gallery of world famous trade-mark figures.
Uneeda Biscuit, 1921
That’s All for Now Folks,
Be sure that you leave me your email on the form to the right so we can keep in touch.
Tim Mack
LAND O’LAKES CREAMERIES
Recipes from the Land O’Lakes
I sure do enjoy sharing my cookbook and recipe pamphlet collection with my readers. It’s always nice to find a pamphlet that is something more than just ‘a piece of paper’ to the manufacturer. Look at the colors in this this wonderful pamphet from Land O’Lakes Creameries, dated 1935.
This pamphlet is in excellent condition which tells me that the original customer appreciated and kept it in a clean and safe place. Now to me,
that is good advertising. Put out an attractive piece of advertising that the owner/customer will cherish. Display your company’s name proudly and prominately so that 75 years later, folks are still talking about it. Make your advertising a collector’s item. I have dozens of unique and attractive pieces of advertising in my collection dated 2000 and beyond. They all show the company owner’s pride in his company and products.
Even the cover material and paper pages are of a quality stock. Look at the picture below. Remember when several companies produced cheese spread in the collectible glasses like these?
Look at another example from this super pamphlet:
Look at the colorful packaging! Tell me the owner didn’t take pride in his products. Here’s just one recipe from this pamphlet. The author isn’t just talking about butter and eggs…he’s talking about Land O’Lakes butter and eggs.
Rich Butter Cookies
2 cups Land O’Lakes butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 Land O’Lake eggs
4 cups sifted all purpose flour
Cream butter, add sugar and cream well. Then add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Lastly add flour and mix well. Drop from a teaspoon onto baking sheets. Bake in very hot oven 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes about 128 cookies. The dough may be divided into several parts, with nuts added to one part, spices to another, thus making different cookies.
This highly collectible pamphlet measures 6 1/4″ x 9 3/8″ and contains
48 pages. Estimated value is $25-$35.
That’s all for now folks…until next time,
Tim
