I’ve recently had my interest peaked in the marketing/advertising campaigns of well known companies over the last century.
It started with a book I picked up in the used book store over the summer. It was published in the 1970’s and covered sixty years of celebrities and fashion gleaned from British Vogue. The book was really interesting to me from both a historical standpoint because it embraced the changes that occurred in social history, and style standpoint because the fashions profiled were relevant to the spirit of the age.
Looking at the packaging and marketing of Vick’s products over time has given me this same glimpse into social history that the In Vogue book did, and it’s really fascinating to me.
For example, the original Vick’s products were in glass bottles and had pretty utilitarian labels.
By the 1930’s, the marketing of Vick’s products definitely took on a more glamorous look.
It appears that in the 1940’s family values is the platform upon which Vick’s based their marketing approach.
By the 1980’s Vick’s marketing had changed to look very similar to it’s modern day packaging which in my opinion focuses more color, font and key words.
I find these photographic glimpses into the past century highly interesting and wonder if now would be a good time to market myself as a brand analyst? Kidding. I’m kidding.
If you’d like to see a much more complete Vick’s timeline than I’ve offered you, I’d highly recommend visiting Vick’s interactive Caring for Generations Timeline. You too can experience more than a century of “caring, from decade to decade“.
Disclosure: All images found on the Vick’s site and used by permission. My interest was peaked in the marketing of Vicks products as a result of my involvement in the Vick’s VapoRub Blogger brigade.
Why is it that bottles, ads and all of that are so much cooler looking from way back than they are now??!!
It reminds me of the time I was in Atlanta, GA, touring the Coca-Cola museum and seeing the advertising through the ages. Always interesting. Sometimes I think there were more civilized times but then I’m glad I live in the age I do where I enjoy modern amenities.
This is so interesting! I love the original glass bottles and labels. Very vintage…
I was just at Target this morning and saw the new Puffs with Lotion and Vicks. I had to stop for a few minutes and sniff a box. (And buy one, of course.) There’s just something about Vicks …
Wow, what a neat post! I liked seeing the changes to the ads.