The way many people in the US think about and imagine the Christmas of Santa Claus and presents (think about that later), started with an advertising campaign for Coca-Cola 75 years ago:
Legendary illustrator Haddon Sundblom created the rosy-cheeked figure -- today's traditionally accepted appearance of the jolly old elf -- in 1931 for a Coca-Cola holiday advertising campaign...When Coca-Cola first approached Sundblom in 1931 to develop an illustration, popular culture's perception of Santa Claus ranged from a stern, tall, gaunt man to an elf donning a bishop's robe or a Norse huntsman's animal skin. Sundblom changed this visual notion by turning to Clement Clark Moore's popular 1822 poem, "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (commonly known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas") for inspiration, which led to his friendly interpretation.
If you're a student of advertising and branding, or just want a counterpoint to the arguments that The Marlboro Man is the pinnacle of advertising's power to imprint minds and change cultural norms, visit the virtual gallery of the Santa Claus campaigns. And for the truly hardcore brand agents, no trip to Atlanta is complete without the Coca-Cola museum (a visit that should be a required pilgrimage for all social marketers and health communicators).
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