CROTON CELEBRITIES AND NOTABLES TOO---ASSORTED VINTAGE PRODUCT ENDORSEMENTS--PART ONE

The history of celebrity endorsements dates back to the 1760s when Josiah Wedgwood used royal endorsements as a brand-building tool, marking the beginning of celebrity endorsements as a marketing strategy. (Read more about all this at The History and Evolution of Celebrity Brand Endorsements – Film Daily)

Since then, celebrities have endorsed various products, including automobiles, tobacco, and cosmetics--and some were even marketed under their own name. Croton notables were no exception.  One of the Everything Croton Elves has been working on this one for a while. Click on the images and links. There will be more.

First up, Lenore Ulric for Lucky Strikes---1928.  Click on the image.

For more about Ulric--married to Sydney Blackmer right here in the village---and her Croton connection, click here.

Next up, it's Croton's Gloria Swanson--for Maybelline! Yes, THAT Maybelline! (Once known as Maybell Beauty Aids),

From 1921---click on the image. 

Yes, you too can immediately improve the appearance of those "scrawny eyebrows"! 

Love that ad content!

For more about Swanson and her Croton Connection (yes she lived here on Mt. Airy), go to EverythingCroton: ACTRESS GLORIA SWANSON, THE CROTON CONNECTION

And then years earlier of course, there was our own famous opera diva, Lilian Nordica for........Coca Cola!

Yes, Nordica endorsed---and appeared in---nationwide advertising for Coca Cola throughout 1904/1905.  (Annual sales hit the one million gallon mark per Wiki).

This large pressed tin tray comes from the archives of The Croton Historical Society.

For only some of Nordica and her Croton Connection, go to EverythingCroton: CROTON'S LILIAN NORDICA 1907

You may also enjoy reading the late Robert Scott's post on Nordica--Chronicles of Croton's Bohemia--at EverythingCroton: LILLIAN NORDICA: MORE CHRONICLES OF CROTON'S BOHEMIA FROM CROTON'S OWN ROBERT SCOTT

Frequent Cortlandt visitor to Croton (and what was then Mary's and later Honey's)--Jackie Gleason--was no stranger to product endorsements. We'll be  featuring a  few of these in the months ahead, For now here's a 1953 gem--Gleason for Nescafe--yes you too can finish Jackie's Nescafe Jingle and win $35,000!

For more about Gleason and his Croton connection, click here.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW FOLKS. STAY TUNED. THERE WILL BE MORE!

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