One of the classic American brands of drinking straws was Carnival Flexible Straws. Founded in 1952, Carnival was one of many household brands that have disappeared in recent years. For a time they were made by Clear Shield National, part of Envirodyne. They were also apparently associated with Diamond Brands.MORE HERE
Since the 1970s, the greatest magic marker for kids has been the Sanford Mr. Sketch. You know this one; it’s a set of a dozen or so markers, all water soluble, that smell like their colors. They are sold in sets of different sizes, including 4, 8, 12 and 16.MORE HERE
LONDON – Funny how a small, old brand can captivate a current audience. Such is the appeal of Mason Pearson brushes. In many cases, brands such as Mason Pearson just disappear, with the company shutting down production and at best, farming out production to Asia, and at worst, shutting itMORE HERE
DEERFIELD, IL – Walgreens has a nifty new store brand for store-branded groceries. It’s called Nice, and it tries to take a snazzy approach to the basics, including coffee, rice and the like. Notice it’s “TM” rather than “R” on the packages. Interesting choice of a very generic word forMORE HERE
The Dodge Dart will return next year; see www.dodge.com for pictures and information about the January 9, 2012 “reveal”. Based on an Alfa Romeo Giulietta, it is truly a sportscar, and bears no resemblance to the original. Nevertheless, the return is good news. Because through the years, one niche that ChryslerMORE HERE
A recent campaign by British Airways points up exactly what United, Delta and American are missing in their approach to airline branding. Namely, a sense of history and drama. BA’s Brand Engagement Head Abi Comber, in an interview posted on YouTube, says the campaign is all about what BA standsMORE HERE
In just about every restaurant kitchen, the decaffeinated coffee pot has an orange band. Ask a person under 30 why that band is colored orange, and they won’t know. They will know that it means decaf, but they won’t know why. The reason, of course, it is orange is becauseMORE HERE
Like the United States Postal Service, Hallmark is trying to find its way in a new era. But it has not always been successful. It has in recent years laid off some longtime employees, and some stores are closing. The store closures are particularly troublesome because they are locally owned,MORE HERE
MOLLUSK, Virginia – One of the most brilliant recent relaunches of a great American brand is the rebirth of Gulf. The company almost totally disappeared, the only remnant being the assorted consumer products branded with Gulf. Pictured here, a new Gulf station and pump in the tiny “town” of Mollusk,MORE HERE
In recent years, there have been a number of retro product re-issues by the original company. But a brand doesn’t have to be from the original company to grab the latent brand equity from a classic product that has been discontinued. One way to grab the brand equity from anotherMORE HERE