Postcard History

Advertising “brand-named” products on postcards was an effective and profitable way to introduce dozens of products to the public. Everything from motor oil and tires to perfume and snack cakes has been advertised on cards for more than a century.

Brand names have shaped marketplaces by creating product loyalty traditions and business strategies throughout the years of that century. The use of brand names is but one way to distinguish any given firm from their competitors. From early trademarks used in ancient civilizations to the global brands of today, an account of brand-named products reaches deep into the history of economic growth and in the ways consumer behaviors are altered.

For example, in 1914 two young Philadelphians remembered what Marie Antoinette said about the French uprising when bread was in short supply. “Let them eat cake,” she said.

So, with an initial investment of $50,000, Philip Baur and Herbert Morris founded a snack food bakery and named it Tastykake.

The company started and quickly gained popularity with its fresh, individually wrapped cakes. Morris’s wife coined the name “Tastykake,” and it became an instantly popular brand. Over the decades, the brand became a staple in packed lunches, sports events, and church picnics, with products like Butterscotch Krimpets and Kandy Kakes.

Branding dates back to ancient civilizations like the Egyptians and Romans who used symbols and identity marks to signify the origin and quality of products made by individual craftsmen. In Rome, blacksmiths stamped their swords with identifiable symbols to ensure authenticity. These early branding efforts were rudimentary but established the foundation for product branding.

The modern concept of branding gained momentum during the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century. Mass production allowed manufacturers to distribute goods on a larger scale, making product identity critical. As competition increased, most businesses began marking their goods with distinct names or logos.

The earliest registered trademark in America came immediately after the Federal Trademark Act of 1870. The Averill Ready-Mix Paint Company was first to register their trademark, but the law was declared unconstitutional in 1879, and as a consequence the oldest legal trademark now in existence is that of Samson Rope Technology’s biblical Samson wrestling a lion that was registered in 1884. The company is now Samson Cordage Works and has its headquarters in Boston, Massachusetts.

As industrialization progressed, companies such as Coca-Cola (founded in 1886), Quaker Oats (established in 1877), and Levi’s (originating in 1853) became pioneers in building strong brand identities.

The twentieth century witnessed the explosion of brand-named products due to advancements in advertising in mass media. New print advertisements allowed companies to reach larger audiences. Companies like Procter & Gamble and Michelin invested heavily in advertising strategies, turning their brands into household names.

Later in the twentieth century, branding expanded beyond mere logos and slogans. Emotional branding became a key marketing strategy, as companies sought to establish personal connections with consumers.

In this, our twenty-first century we are throttled with the globalization of brand-names like McDonald’s, Microsoft, and Toyota that have expanded their presence across continents to new audiences. With digital technology and the internet revolutionizing commerce, branding is the only way online platforms can accomplish a direct-to-consumer engagement.

The emergence of e-commerce giants like Amazon makes it possible to buy nearly everything that is for sale. Social and marketing media have further enabled companies to communicate directly with their consumers who never need to leave their homes.

The future advancements in artificial intelligence will in many ways shape branding by personalizing marketing and most customer interactions will be driven by “smart” answering equipment that eliminates in person customer service. (To define this premise, answer this question: The last time you called your bank, how many buttons were required to push before you could talk to a person?)

Brand-named products have profoundly influenced consumer culture. We all know this, but does it make life better?