Marketing

Macintosh computers—and the company that created them—changed the PC world.

New Polish Museum Bytes Into the History of Apple Products

Over 1,000 artifacts get to the core of the iconic brand’s popularity

View of the Space Needle and the Century 21 Exposition fairgrounds in Seattle in 1962

The Rise and Fall of World's Fairs

Sixty years after Seattle's Century 21 Exposition, world's fairs have largely fallen out of fashion in the U.S.

Sugary breakfast flavors have expanded beyond the cereal aisle.

Why Your Favorite Sugary Breakfast Cereal Is Suddenly Everywhere

Nostalgia for childhood has led to new, fanciful flavors of maple syrup, snacks and even legal marijuana

Smith, who died in 1987 at age 39, was a rising star in fashion in the mid-1970s, with clothing designs priced and sized for everyday people. "Willi Smith: Street Couture" is on view at the Cooper Hewitt in New York City through October 24, 2021.

Fashion Designer Willi Smith Looked to the Streets for Inspiration and Appreciation

The 1970s founder of WilliWear combined high-end design with mass-market appeal

A mid-1970s painting by illustrator Rick Guidice depicts an extraterrestrial colony designed by Princeton University physicist Gerard O'Neill.

How NASA Marketed Its Space Program With Fantastical Depictions of the Future

When it came to exploring the stars, Americans had to see it to believe in it

A previous version of the Land O'Lakes logo, featuring Mia, an indigenous woman dubbed the "Butter Maiden"

Land O'Lakes Drops the Iconic Logo of an Indigenous Woman From Its Branding

The story behind the image, and its removal, led to mixed reactions from the public, including native communities

Two of Antonio Gentile's original Mr. Peanut sketches from 1916.

History of Now

Mr. Peanut Was the Creation of an Italian-American Schoolboy

One of the most iconic food brands was born in the imagination of a teenager, Antonio Gentile. Curator Kathleen Franz introduces the story

Flight map of Air India destinations from 1962.

The Sleek History of Airline Maps

A new book explores the evolution of cartography throughout more than a century of commercial air travel

The character of Smokey Bear first appeared in 1944.

A Brief History of Smokey Bear, the Forest Service's Legendary Mascot

How the beloved figure has become a lightning rod in a heated environmental debate

Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, is shown throwing three balls of gold through a window, providing the dowry of three poverty-stricken maidens in an altarpiece painted between 1433 and 1435 for a monastery in Florence. The design was based on an altarpiece by Gentile da Fabriano of 1425.

Why We Should Bring Back the Tradition of the Christmas Orange

The appeal of a last-minute stocking stuffer

The iconic Barnum's Animals crackers are getting a redesign, thanks to PETA.

After 116 Years, Animal Crackers Have Been Freed From Their Circus Cages

A new redesign of the iconic treats shows animals walking across a savanna

A Piggly Wiggly in 1939.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

The Bizarre Story of Piggly Wiggly, the First Self-Service Grocery Store

What's in a name?

A still from the 2015 film The Big Short, featuring actors Billy Magnussen and Max Greenfield.

New Research

From Budweiser to Heineken, Alcohol Brands Are Rampant in Hollywood Films

Over the past two decades, even G-rated films have amped up the booze labels

Cool Finds

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People Who Bring Their Own Grocery Bags are More Likely to Buy Junk Food

It’s all about perceived virtue

Still from Coca-Cola advertisement

American History Museum Scholar on the History of the "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" Advertisement

The commercial that closed out the series finale of "Mad Men," explained

Cool Finds

How Halitosis Became a Medical Condition With a "Cure"

Bad breath wasn’t perceived as a medical condition until one company realized that it could help them sell mouthwash

While working for Mattel for over 15 years, Ellen Lutwak had a hand in naming products as recognizable as Barbie.

Meet the Woman Who Gives Products Their Names

A new toy is only as marketable as its name. That’s where Ellen Lutwak comes in

Cool Finds

This Company Sold More Beer by Helping Waitresses Get Home Late at Night

Anthropology can have relevance for the business world—just ask this beer company

A bottle of Guinness's Foreign Extra Stout.

How Guinness Became an African Favorite

The stout's success stems from a long history of colonial export and locally driven marketing campaigns

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