Pepsi throwback? Or not. Or is it somewhere in the middle, slightly interesting but that’s about it. To celebrate new Pepsi Throwback, Jeff Gordon is driving a throwback paint scheme at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26th. It’s a refreshingly retro tribute to one of the coolest paint schemes in racingMORE HERE
A British favorite frozen dessert has returned, the Arctic Roll. The Financial Times reported April 29 that since its re-release in December by Birds Eye, sales are estimated to be 3.5 million GBP or 3 million boxes. Emma Jacobs writes in the Financial Times that is successful because it tapsMORE HERE
Yes, the do-gooding clay duo of UHF television days are still around, courtesy of Nashville-based publishing company Tommy Nelson. Davey and Goliath were produced by Art Clokey, the animator responsible for Gumby on behalf of the Lutheran Church. They appeared on local stations around the U.S. in the 1970s, andMORE HERE
Here is a cover from a Marion Richardson handwriting book that came from The Everett School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. (Everett was the predecessor to Cape Henry Collegiate School.) Everett used the best British teaching methods, including Richardson’s series, up until the 1970s. We saved it because we are admirersMORE HERE
Tucumari, N. M. – Restored American motels keep popping up, a witness to the American need to preserve some of the more interesting parts of the American roadside, especially on Route 66. Here, the Safari Motel. Tell the kids it’s the sort of roadside attraction from Pixar’s Cars. The hotelMORE HERE
We know that CAFE fuel standards are the culprit in killing off bigger cars in the U.S., but its manufacturers who are responsible for killing off the word STATION WAGON in their marketing. And so, brands like Volvo and Volkswagen now own the upper middle class consumer. We found aMORE HERE
We ran across an old record catalog from the 78 era, and noticed that it came from a jewelry store in Norfolk, Virginia. The jewelers D. P. Paul, still (I think) a favorite old-line jeweler in the Norfolk area. Strangely, in 1941, they used to sell records. It made usMORE HERE
DETROIT – Not that I really like Pontiacs these days. They’ve not been interesting for a long time. But now, there are serious discussions that GM will announce that Pontiac will be shut down as a brand. Frankly, it doesn’t make sense. If Pontiac sales stink, then so do Buick.MORE HERE
CHASKA, Minnesota – Great brands bring personality to commodities to products like soap. Perhaps the best example of such a brand is Mr. Bubble. If the packaging and marketing were not there, the product would not be interesting at all. But since the packaging and old advertising was so good,MORE HERE
How does a brand like Charles of the Ritz, at one time far larger and more prestigious Estee Lauder, just plain disappear? This makeup and skincare brand was merged into Revlon, and while some of its perfumes still survive, the Charles of the Ritz brand does not. Customers on BrandlandUSAMORE HERE