These Black Cats Are Selling What!?
These Black Cats Are Selling What!?Advertising is the art of persuasion and since black cats have always been chic, it makes sense to feature them in hopes of increasing their low adoption rates. In our effort to reframe or recast black cats in a favorable light, a step in history proves surprising modern. It’s easy to imagine any of these black cat designs being produced today. It’s hard to believe each of these four magazine covers is over a hundred years old. The Black Cat, a Boston-based magazine published unusual short stories from 1895-1922. Ironically, they didn’t publish stories about cats.
Black cats have graced the packaging and signage of every conceivable product. Here are a few examples. Wrigley’s, established in 1840 sold soap. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because the company went on to chewing gum fame and fortune. They were clever to suggest in a powerful marketing call to action: saving the branded wrappers. Paper was expensive and the wrapper served as free advertising at a time before plastic wrap, aluminum foil or baggies existed. Funnily enough, we used to save gum wrappers as well. At least tidy ones would dispose of the used gum in the wrapper. The rest of us would find creative places to stash wads of gum.
Double your pleasure, double your fun with two black cats. Wrigley’s didn’t just make gum, they made one of the most memorable advertising jingles in history. You know how it goes…Double your pleasure, double your fun, With Doublemint, Doublemint, chewing gum! That’s the power of advertising. Now maybe with more black cats as models, perhaps they’ll become more popular again. Black cats remain about 50% less adoptable that other colored cats in the shelter setting.
Okay, maybe not cigarettes.
When I was a kid, I loved collecting stamps. Do kids do that anymore? Maybe with a cover like this beauty from 1904.
What products would you like to see black cats advertise?
27 Comments
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MARGARET CARPENTER
Thanks so much for this post & the pictures. I’m a 20+ year collector of cats in antique advertising. Love the black kitties in ads in particular…they were used a lot back then when 4-color printing wasn’t available or was too expensive. I actually have all these items in my collection except for the yeast label :-)….A wonderful book on this very subject, if anyone is interested, is “The Black Cat Made Me Buy It”. It was published in 1988, out of print now but pretty easy to find used on Amazon, etc.
PepiSmartDog
PepiSmartDog: great post! A couple of years ago we went to a Cat Museum in Croatia – full of everything about cats. The walls were all lined with vintage cards about cats. It was amazing! We took a LOT of photographs.
Thank you for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop. We love reading what you get up to and so happy you join us each week. Hope to see you again this week. *waves paw* :=o)
meowmeowmans
We’re big black cat fans, and love all these black cat- themed ads from years gone by!
Deb Barnes - Zee and Zoey
Fascinating! I think black cats are gorgeous and could sell snow to Eskimos!
Deziz World
Well since we luv all cats includin’ da black ones, we wouldn’t mind seein’ them advertise anythin’ and everythin’.
Luv ya’
Dezi
Brian Frum
Oh, someone had a good idea I see. Yes, more black cats should grace cat food products, they are beautious!!! Love these!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Yes, Purina could exchange the white Persian on Fancy Feast to a black one.
Kathryn
Wow, Mao thanks you a million times over. Even his white hands and feet and chin.
Love all these photos. Love, love, love them.
We used to buy black cat matches.
Black cats are truly right up there in my book with all kinds of tabbies and tuxes, Siamese, Calico, Burmese, Russian blue — all cats of all stripes, spots and temperaments.
Did not know Wrigley’s was originally in Philly. Huge Wrigley’s building in Chicago.
Maggie
Maybe we could all lobby cat food companies to use more black cats in their ads.
It would be interesting to go to a Petco or Petsmart and take a head count of cat colors and markings on labels.
Do you think black cats would become more popular if there were beautiful photographs of them on packaging?
Layla Morgan Wilde
Yes, I’ve noticed next to none on any cat food packaging. Advertising sways tastes so it makes sense.
The Swiss Cats
We love these vintage pictures ! Le Chat Noir was a famous cabaret in Paris, yet another black cat, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Chat_Noir. Purrs
speedyrabbit
love these illustrations,xx Speedy
da tabbies o trout towne
guys….total lee awesum post two day….we N joyed seein all theeze old advertz…frank lee we think black kittehz can…. & shuld sell…..everee thing that needz a sellin !!! 🙂
N de food servizz gurl said ta tell yur mom her used ta save gum wrapperz two; and make a bracelet outta em….kinda like a Z
heerz two a tiger shovelnose catfish kinda week oh end ♥♥♥
Layla Morgan Wilde
Ha, I remember those bracelets!
Tamago
I think advertising with black kitties as model may help their adoption. They sure make great models. One of Japanese large delivery companies uses black cat and her kitten as a mascot. You’ll see them everywhere 🙂
The Island Cats
Love these! The mom collects all sorts of black cat stuff…and has a few advertising pieces, too.
Nerissa's Life
I LOVE those! Yup, I love each and every one. Very attractive, for sure.
Purrs,
Seville
Skeeter and Izzy
We so love the vintage stuff!
WE would love to see black cats advertising more pet products fur sure!
Luvs
Skeeter and Izzy & the Feral Gang + Twig & Peanut & Romeo & the Angels >^..^^..^<~
easy rider
I remember that we had licorice once what was named black cat… it even came in a cat shape :o)
Layla Morgan Wilde
I would love to see those! We have Swedish fish but someone needs to make cats! There are still lots of European ads with black cats.
Summer
What cool vintage illustrations! I think black cats could advertise anything well!
Hannah and Lucy
We love the old Wrigley’s soap picture.
Marjorie and the Dash Kitten Crew
These remind me of the Katten Kabinet in Amsterdam! Nothing but cats of all kind in all kinds of art!
Layla Morgan Wilde
Must check that out, thanks!