Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advertising. Show all posts

Sunday, July 10, 2022

KOOBA COLA...the Soda Pop That NEVER Existed!

In 1940, Victor Fox, publisher of WonderWorld ComicsMystery Men ComicsWeird Comics, and other titles featuring The Blue BeetleSamson, and The Flame, among others, conceived an audacious marketing scheme.
Inspired by the success of Pepsi Cola and Coca-Cola, he decided to promote Kooba Cola, "The World's Newest and Best-Tasting Soft Drink!" in ads across his entire line of comic books!
It was also "Delightfully Refreshing" and "Contained 35 USP units of Vitamin B-1 for the Sake of Health and Nutrition!"
And, when Fox's The Blue Beetle starred in a short-lived radio show that summer, he was sponsored by Kooba Cola!
Wait a second...
What's that?
You've never even heard of Kooba Cola?

That's because it didn't exist, except as a logo, a couple of mocked-up bottles used as props in ads and some art reference for illustrators.
(You'll note they couldn't even figure out what the color scheme for the label was!
It changed from ad to ad!)
Fox thought he could create a demand for Kooba, then license the name to one of the big soft drink companies, let them do the work of actually creating, bottling, and shipping the stuff, then he'd rake in royalties on the name!
It didn't work.
The "buzz" never developed.
The soda pop was never actually produced.
Even Kooba's "sponsorship" of The Blue Beetle radio show was just part of the show's script, not paid ads! (One of the reasons the show only lasted four months!)

But, such visionary hucksterness should not be forgotten!
(Besides, the ads were rather kool.)
So we at Atomic Kommie Comics™ decided to re-present the Soda That Would Not Die on collectibles ranging from Beachwear to mugs, messenger bags (and the irony of doing bags with "Kooba" on them hasn't escaped us!) and hoodies at KoobaCola 1 and KoobaCola 2!

So celebrate what could have been one of the bubbliest success stories of soft drink entrepreneurship, but instead fizzled out and fell flat!
(You just knew we were gonna do a pun like that, didn't you?)  ;-)

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Remember INAPAK, the Amazing Chocolate Drink?

Bosco?
Bah!
Quik?
Crap!
Ovaltine?
Ewww!
You want serious chocolate flavor in your milk?
Here it is...
It must be true!
Major Inapak says so!
And Major Inapak wouldn't lie!
In fact, he uses science to prove his point...
Major Inapak returns to tell the Youth of America what to do...
You'll pardon me while I scamper out to the supermarket to get a box!
Be back Thursday for more on...Inapak!

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Holiday Reading Room RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER "The Reindeer Who Saved Christmas!"

...that's as concise a synopsis as you'll ever read, so on to the story with all requisite speed...
The copy we're using doesn't have a final page.
So we'll use the original hand-drawn layout!
 
Written by Robert L May and illustrated by Denver Gillen, this beloved tale was actually an advertising promotion designed to lure customers into doing Christmas shopping!
We hope you've enjoyed this bit of holiday history, and keep checking us out for more Christmastime fun!
Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics this Christmas!
Visit Amazon and Order...
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
(a replica of the original 1939 book we're re-presenting on this blog!)

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Holiday Reading Room RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER "The Plot (and the Fog) Thickens!"

...Rudolph lived a sad existence, shunned by his peers because he was "different".
But, on Christmas Eve, when Santa Claus, hindered by severe fog, making him hours behind schedule, delivers gifts to Rudolph's home, he literally sees the solution to his problem...
Next Tuesday:
Written by Robert L May and illustrated by Denver Gillen, this beloved tale was actually an advertising promotion designed to lure customers into doing Christmas shopping!
Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics this Christmas!
Visit Amazon and Order...
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
(a replica of the original 1939 book we're re-presenting on this blog!)

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Holiday Reading Room RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER "Who He Is and How He Came to Be!"

Much as Disney's versions of classic fairy tales have become the "accepted" ones...
...the 1964 stop-motion animated TV special of Rudolph is the one everyone knows.
But, this is the real story...
Next Tuesday:
Written by Robert L May and illustrated by Denver Gillen, this beloved tale was actually an advertising promotion designed to lure customers into doing Christmas shopping!
True!
You can read about it HERE!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics this Christmas!
Visit Amazon and Order...
(of the stop-motion animated TV special, which is considerably-different from this tale!)