What You Don't Know About Santa Claus..

Many of us have an image of Santa Claus that was greatly influenced by the "Coca Cola Santa"

This is an image of Santa rendered by the artist Haddon Sundblom for Coke in the 1930s.

But that is not all this artist painted.....seems he did some more profitable work.....like this:

(and that is one of the 'cleaner' ones I can show you!!)

Lara asked a good question....do you think that he'd be allowed to render images for Coke today? It would be the equivalent of hiring an "adult entertainment' movie producer to make a Coke commercial!

Hmmmm

BUT, did you know Haddon Sundblom also painted the Quaker Oats dude??

Heeeeyy.....now I know why I'm so attracted to oatmeal -- its like Christmas every morning -- the Quaker Oats dude looks like Santa Claus!!!

Here's the really funny part, no Quaker Oats dude does not look like Santa. He looks like Haddon - look at this:

That's Mr. Sundblom, and he used himself for a model!! I wonder if people thought he looked like Santa BEFORE he painted the famous Santa pictures!!!

Cheers! Heidi

Comments

wow! So interesting. Advertising can be a scary thing, can't it?

Thanks for the pics, Heidi!

I don't mind so much that either Santa OR the Quaker Oats guy looks like Mr Sundblom, I'm concerned that the Santa chick looks like the child in Mr Sundblom's lap. JUST KIDDING :P

yeah...zenspan -- I wasn't gonna say it, but I'm right there with ya....

So... what are the chances of you posting his other work? :P he he he

I would find it to be of great interest to see more of the work of this highly skilled artist. Although I am currently a true blue Pepsi drinker there is an outside chance that I could be swayed.....

lack of imagination, by the dude if you ask me, all i know it iam not the one who told this guy that he looks like santa he he.

Did you know that Haddon also did Aunt Jamima, and the Cream of Wheat man? His nickname was "Sunny" and at one-time his downtown studio in Chicago was one whole floor of the Wrigley Building later the Playboy Tower and that he did the work for the D'Arcy Advertising Agency who had the Coca-Cola advertising account. As a Past President of a state Coca-Cola Collectors Club International Club I really got interested in him and his art and it's history. His Coca-Cola Santa's ran from 1931 untill 1965 a different one every year first using one Louie Prentace a older gentleman from Chicago as his subject matter then after Louie died himself as the model for Santa. He was one of the most prolific and famous advertising artist of his time. The photo above at the start of this page is actually dated in the 1950's. I have his 1931, 32 and 33 original Post Magazine Ad's. The (1ST) first 1931 ad Santa is in the Forman-Barr Department Store St. Louis, MO at the world largest soda fountain of the time.

Mr Sundblom has made Christmas. Santa is bound to look like that. I guess I will never know. Such a great imagination will definitely hold its space in infinity. One of those things I wish I had thought of.

hellow santa how are you . please write me back.