Another disappeared brand of General Motors, the Oakland, seen here in an auto show in Sarasota. Oakland was one of the brands that was above Chevrolet in price, but below Oldsmobile and Buick. The company was a full division of GM; Oakland’s founder was Edward P. Murphy, who sold halfMORE HERE
Buick unveiled its Invicta concept car earlier this year. And now, GM is advertising the car in major magazines, along with its model lineup of Buick Lacrosse, Enclave and Lucerne. We wonder. Is it good? Is it Buick? Most importantly, we are wondering why are they advertising a car theyMORE HERE
SARASOTA – Looking at the candy that comes in after trick or treating is always a thrill, because there is usually something good in there to steal from your children. Another reason why we like to look at what comes in is to figure out how candy companies are doingMORE HERE
JERUSALEM – Tourism officials in Israel are making a big push at reviving interest in the sites connected with Judeo-Christian holy sites. While these places have been places of pilgrimage for 2,000 years, the renewed effort takes a real mass-market approach, and brands the routes. For instance, a new bikeMORE HERE
When a brand goes into decline or a company purchases another company, older legacy brands often get lost or neglected, even when there is value and bankable goodwill. While some names are worth killing off, there is enormous value in many older legacy brands. What is a company to doMORE HERE
We found a great list of American grocery brands and their date of founding. It was on the website catcherman.com. Here is just the 19th century section. Putting it in list form makes it sort of illustrative. 1872, Blackjack chewing gum 1876, Premium soda crackers (later Saltines) 1881, Pillsbury flourMORE HERE
We love Bell’s Olives. The Original. The Bell brand dates from 1930, headquartered in Corning, California. But parent company Bell-Carter Foods Inc. dates from 1912, when Arthur and Henry Bell bought an olive grove in Reedly, California. They later bought Maywood, Lindsay and Alberti olive companies, and are the nation’sMORE HERE
HIALEAH – When in Miami, a trip to grocer Sedano’s will help you get in the local mood. With over a dozen locations, you can’t miss it. It’s a great window into Miami’s Cuban culture, and best yet, it sells all the Americano stuff too. They are now up toMORE HERE
BRADENTON – We grew up and were always pals with Tropic-Ana. She not only graced the packages of Tropicana, but she was on the outside of the bright orange CSX freight trains that ran from Palmetto/Bradenton Florida to packaging plants up north. Yes, she was topless, but somehow it wasMORE HERE
Great nostalgic idea for a retailer or mall operator to build some identity and uniqueness during Christmas. How about giving away a ride to customers. It’s from the website Kiddie Ride USA. Visit our main site www.brandlandUSA.com Ideas? E-mail editor Garland PollardMORE HERE