Striking Images: Matchbook Advertising Article from UnderTheInfluence by CBC Rado

Fantastic Article about the remarkable story and journey of match advertising with references to some remarkable "moments in match history"     Under The Influence

Vintage Wrigley Spearmint Gum Advertising Match Book They were the first company to utilize matches in a National Advertising Campaign.
Vintage Wrigley Spearmint Gum Advertising Match Book
They were the first company to utilize matches in a National Advertising Campaign.

To order your Buisiness' own branded match books get in touch with one of our "matchmakers" at TheMatchGroup or call 1-800.605.7331 TODAY!

 


FEATURE MATCHES Match Books -Vintage Match Books with Colorful Images Across Flattened Match Stems

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FEATURE MATCHES - Match Books with Colorful Images Printed Across Flattened Match Stems

ASSORTMENT OF "FEATURE" MATCH BOOKS WITH PRINTED MATCH STEMS
ASSORTMENT OF VINTAGE "FEATURE" -MATCH BOOKS WITH CUSTOM PRINTED FLATTENED MATCH STEMS.

Branded Match Books serve as mementos from places that you've visited or vacationed at, make great keepsakes from cherished family events and obviously, are a convenient and reliable source of fire for lighting candles, fireplaces, barbecues, incense, igniting gas pilot lights, as well as an essential item for use when camping. To this day advertising matches remain as one of the most inexpensive and highest impact forms of advertising -serving as "Functional Business Cards" that are widely accepted by your customers for the uses mentioned above while at the same time serving to promote your business, product or service.

Over 60 years ago, match company salesman would pitch potential customers with the catchy phrase: "your match books act as 20 little salesmen" meaning that when each of the 20 individual matches (in a standard match book) was removed and struck by it's user, it served as an opportunity to reinforce your company's brand 20 times!

"You can't beat match books for good, inexpensive advertising," says John Williams, publicity manager of The American Matchcover Collecting Club. When traveling through the smallest towns, you should still be able to pick up matches from restaurants, hotels and businesses who still believe in the power of these economical "pocket billboards" to advertise their businesses.

Match cover collecting satisfies every collector's urge to organize, classify, categorize and display .

In this post I'll be featuring the highly collectible and unique FEATURE -match books with colorful images across flattened sticks. Lion Match Corporation was the first match manufacturer to design and produce the feature match book.

The first FEATURE match books were Giant Sized -about 4" tall!

1936 Giant Feature Match Book advertising a Buick sponsored NBC Radio Show
1936 Giant Feature Match Book advertising a Buick sponsored NBC Radio Show
1936 Giant Feature Match Book a Buick Sponsored NBC Boxing Radio Show
1936 Giant Feature Match Book a Buick Sponsored NBC Boxing Radio Show
Early GE Giant Feature Match Book
Early GE Giant Feature Match Book
Early GE Giant Feature Match Book with Selling Tips
Early General Electric Giant Feature Match Book with Selling Tips

There were also other special options that were later introduced such as special die cut match cover shapes offered to enhance the image of the advertising product by making it stand out with a 2 Dimensional look  outside in addition to the feature -printed match stems inside:

'57 Pontiac Die Cut Special Feature Match Book
'57 Pontiac Special Die Cut Feature Match Book
'57 Pontiac Feature printed match stems with image of their new V8 motor
'57 Pontiac Match Book with Feature printed match stems depicting an illustration of their new V8 Engine

And an example of a Political Feature Match Book:

Wendell Wilkie Printed Stem Feature Match Book
Wendell Wilkie Printed Stem Feature Match Book "What the People Want"

For the first time in 40 years, The Match Group is proud to announce that we have an exclusive arrangement to produce several styles of  highly collectible and sought out vintage #featurematches  -customized with your logo and ad copy to promote your business!

You can rely upon TheMatchGroup to keep the flame of match advertising lit! Call one of our match mavens at 800.605.7331 today to design your business' own branded advertising match books, match boxes or feature matchbooks!


FOUND! VINTAGE Sept. 1944 ISSUE of UNIVERSAL MATCH "MATCH TIPS" Employee Magazine

The cover photo is a pic of the original UNIVERSAL MATCH factory plant located in Hudson, New York.
The 1944 cover photo is a pic of the original UNIVERSAL MATCH factory plant that was located in Hudson, New York.

Very cool piece of American and Match History!

There are several feature articles about the effect that World War II has had on the factory's work force. It stated that one of the plant's first employees when the Hudson factory opened in 1930; Sergeant Anthony Cordato was killed in action during the Battle of the Marshall Islands.

Page 5 of UNIVERSAL TIPS Sept 1944 Magazine with notes from active Service Men in WWII who were employed at the Hudson, NY plant
Page 5 of UNIVERSAL TIPS Sept 1944 Magazine with notes from active Service Men in WWII who were employed at the Hudson, NY plant

The Hudson Plant Manager David Darwe wrote an article "SUMMING UP AND LOOKING FORWARD". In this piece, Mr Darwe described the effect that the war was having on the East Coast of America "...the war with it's terrible implications probably made a deeper impression in the East, particularly in the early stages, than the rest of the country". He went on to mention the frequent black outs and air raid drills and a fair number of his factory crews were active as air wardens or at air observation posts during their leisure time. Mr. Darwe was pleased with Universal's contribution to the war effort with production of propaganda match books shipped off to the Army and the Navy, as well as 43 men who left the plant to enter the various branches of the Armed Forces with the sad news that one employee was "never to return to join us at Hudson again"

HUDSON, NY FACTORY MGR DAVID DARWE
HUDSON, NY FACTORY MGR DAVID DARWE. Who's previous place of employment was at the Swedish Match Corp.

My favorite portion of Mr. Darwe's article was his mention of the "girls" that stepped in where the men left off. "The opinions of many in the beginning as to whether the enlistment of the girls would turn out to be a success were discouraging (to put it mildly), however, it certainly is now evident that the girls are doing a swell job and everybody seems to consider their work as quite natural, whether they appear in overalls or in more conventional dress." Even after issuing that "compliment" he couldn't help but mention that " Fortunately most of our key men have remained with us in this trying period, a fact, we believe, that is worthy of emphasis."

It's worth noting that Universal Match Corp. operated five separate match production plants during this period -"The Golden Age of match book Advertising"

To promote your business and to get in on the ”Hot Match on Striker Action” call our match mavens at TheMatchGroup
at 800.605.7331 or shoot us an email at strike@getmatches.com and we'll be happy to guide you through the simple process of placing your custom branded match order!