Jack's Sponsors

[speedy]

I was watching a DVD of Mad Men the other day. Lucky Strike figures prominently in the plot, and it got me to thinking about Jack’s sponsors. I can think of six:

Canada Dry
Chevrolet
General Tires
Jello
Grape Nuts
Lucky Strike

What is striking to me is the lasting quality of Jack’s sponsors. All of these items are still available today (yes, you can still buy Luckies). It’s not surprising that Jack would attract high powered sponsors like Lucky Strike and Jello once he had a top rated show. But to attract perennials like Canada Dry and Chevrolet at the start of his career is not so easy to explain. I guess the sponsors saw what we see in Jack; likeability, the common touch, and a great entertainer.

Contrast Jack’s list with that of some other top radio shows. Most long running shows have at least one sponsor that you’ve probably never seen in a store (or even heard of):

Fred Allen: Sal Hepatica (when I first heard this I thought it was a gag)

Burns and Allen: Swan Soap, Hinds Cream

Fitch Bandwagon: Fitch Shampoo

Eddie Cantor: Pebeco Toothpaste

Amos and Andy: Rinso

You get the idea.

[Brad from Georgia]

Ellery Queen: Bromo-Seltzer.
Rush Limbaugh: Nobody, now.

[CBSTelevisionCity]

Wasn't State Farm Insurance Jack's sponsor for awhile? ( And State Farm is still around. )
Seems like I recall there were built-in ads for State Farm during the famous Christmas episode where Jack drives store clerk Mel Blanc to suicide. - William

[speedy]

State Farm sponsored some of the shows that were rebroadcast in 1956-1958. Original shows ended in 1955. The show where Mel shoots himself in frustration over Jack's Christmas shopping was originally broadcast on 12/19/1948 and was sponsored by Lucky Strike. Here is a link that someone associated with State Farm posted with more info:

http://losttransmission1.wordpress.com/ ... tate-farm/

[scottp]

In cheapie stores such as "The 99 Cents Only Store" and "Dollar Tree" I've seen the Rinso name, and even Hinds. You can't count on much of a connection to the original products; sometimes a familiar name is sold off. (Pan Am of today is just an airline that bought the name from whoever bought it from the original, bankrupt Pan Am.)
Considering the large number of immigrants (few of whom are actually named "Cy") shopping in those stores in southern California, I have a feeling that in some cases, the "long-forgotten brands" (from my perspective) may have had a continuing life in Mexico, and therefore they will be attractive to patrons of those stores. I don't think there are enough early Burns and Allen fans to keep "Hinds" viable...
I recall circa 1980 my father would seek out Ipana toothpaste, as it got harder and harder to find. I always wonder if that name will pop up again.
Remember "Vitalis" for men's hair? A few years ago I saw an empty cardboard case printed for "Vitalis" but it seemed to be different. I think it was to be taken internally... and it was not to help your hair!

[scottp]

I forgot to mention a clue that I picked up on: under the name HINDS on the modern-day lotion bottle, was the word CLASSICA.

[Hank the All-Nite DJ]

I smoke Luckies and use Wildroot Cream Oil (sponsor of The Adventures of Sam Spade)

[speedy]

I used Wildroot many years ago when I was a kid (and had hair). On the subject of products, I often have wondered if they did product placement back in the days of radio. You hear products such as Sen Sen and Vigoro used in gags on the show. Did the manufacturers pay for the product mention? Did Jack's producer get permission or perhaps even pay the manufacturers? Or were they just simply mentioned and that was that? This was a time when lawyers were less active presumably, and product manufacturers relied on sales for their revenue, not having thought of other "revenue streams". Perhaps notions such as branding and product placement were left for future Mad Men.

[Moose Hatrack]

There's a past thread entitled "Business references on the radio show" which treats the same topic. I understand that "payola" was standard operating procedure. The Benny writers took on the topic. I'll quote board member kurt from his Mar 21, 2004 10:12 am post...

During the era when performers (and sometimes their writers) would get free merchandise just for mentioning a brand name on the air, Rochester once mentioned a "GE electric blanket."

Jack: "But Rochester, we don't have a GE electric blanket."

Rochester: "We do now!"

Later Rochester mentions "Cadillac" and Jack came back with something like "Don't be greedy". One brand comes to mind right away: Bendix (as in Bendix washing machines) How many times did Dennis get stuck in the Bendix, or throw Jack's teeth or hair in the Bendix. I recall once, after Dennis finished one of his Jack wacking routines, somebody asked what happened to Mary. Jack answers, "She stuck her head in the Bendix"