Advertising Archive 1960's

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The Sixties. An America tested by two World Wars and a massive economic depression, has spent the last 15 years in peace and prosperity -- having babies. Having a whole BUNCH of babies. Now America's kids are growing up, and there's a song there's a song that they're singing...

By the time the sixties rolled around, Allied Chemical had been in the hearts and homes of America for decades providing wholesome manufactured goodness and just plain ol' fashioned good citizenship. And then what happened? The whole darn world went topsy-turvey. Kids got long hair and ideas that, quite frankly, made us very very nervous. However, Allied Chemical knew full well that someday those very kids would be running things in a BIG way and decided to roll with it.

Protesting was the latest thing in the 60's. Everyone was doing it. It was bigger than the hula hoop. Seemed like you couldn't go to the Post Office without seeing more picketers than people actually buying stamps.

Allied Chemical capitalized on this new fad by pioneering the concept of micromarketing specific ads for the typical reader of several national magazines.

Pictured at right is an ad from Rolling Stone

Catholic Digest
Look
Redbook
Playboy
For years, Allied Chemical searched for the perfect pop star endorsement. Year after year, attempts are made to use such stars as Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, and Keith Moon. Finally wholesome, family group of gentle Hippie folksingers called the Mamas and the Papas hits the scene, and Farmer Fred's Happydale Hamspread finally has the perfect pitchperson to sing its praises in Mama Cass
Audrey Hepburn, Mia Farrow, Twiggy all represent the feminine ideal of the day. Farmer Fred realizes they all have one physical attribute in common -- healthy, slender hips. The Research and Development team springs into action to develop an additive to help American ladies better emulate the spectacular stars of the day.
Farmer Fred's son, Jonas "Percy" Grumby Jr., on his frequent visits to New York City, becomes enamored with the youth explosion in the world of art manifested by the Pop Art Movement. Percy becomes a fixture at glittering gallery openings and hip all-night parties. One night at Max's Kansas City, Percy meets Andy Warhol and has an epiphany -- think of what Warhol did for the Campbell's company! What he did for soup, he can do for hamspread.

Percy invites Warhol to create work based on Farmer Fred's Happydale Hamspread packaging and the cuddly tradmaked logo Hammy. Warhol creates a traveling installation which premieres at the Happydale ranch. The work consists of Hammy wallpaper, giant sculptures of the familair hamspread can, giant floating mylar ballons in the shaper of Farmer Fred himself (not pictured), with a soundtrack provided by the Velvet Underground.

Unfortunately, the marketing department had already began production on cans with a more "contemporary" design, and the rest of the exhibit's tour was canceled. But, don't despair, you can have your own piece of the Allied Chemical/Warhol legacy with our "Hammy" wallpaper for your computer's desktop. Click here to find out more.