Superica Atlanta's unique retro design by Alvin DiecDelilah LARetro Feature Matchbook Individually decorated match stems with dancing nudie girls
Bill Kozlack, the owner of Jax Cafe a Minneapolis steakhouse is quoted in this article about his fight with a local councilman after he learned that restaurants were no longer able to distribute branded matches due to the new anti smoking ordinance. “I had to explain to him that it’s one of the longstanding traditions in restaurants and bars—and I informed him that no matter how hard you try, you can’t smoke a matchbook.” That response was enough to convince the counsel that restaurants would still be permitted to distribute their matches!
"Because they don’t serve as practical a purpose any more—save for lighting candles—matchbooks have to look good."
While we don't entirely agree with the above statement, we do agree that matchbooks have to look good!
We at TheMatchGroup are proud of the limitless customization and exclusive matchbook and matchbox styles that we offer for every type of business to use to promote their brand!
Joseph Martinez Oil Painting using the inside covers of match books as his canvas!
A fascinating re-purposing of Paper match books that are used by the artist Joseph Martinez to create original life like oil paintings as mini works of pocket fine art!
Check out the video montage of Joseph's fascinating work on Vimeo:
A vary retro style 40 Stem 3" Wide Paper Match Book produced for "Trailer Park Lounge" in NYC.
KEEPSAKES: 1) TACTILE ADVERTISING
If offered, most people will gladly collect match books as they leave a restaurant or a retail business to save as a memento of their pleasant experience. They serve as a tangible reminder -what we like to call "functional business cards". Most importantly, from the restaurateur's/advertiser's perspective they act as a method for a satisfied customer to use to recommend their restaurant or business to their friends and family. Furthermore, these colorful & useful 3 dimensional pocket advertisers make much more of an impression serving as a token of thanks to your customers as opposed to the default plain one-dimensional non-functional business card that ends up being forgotten in their back pockets only to end up in next week's laundry!
KEEPSAKES: 2) FOR USE AROUND THE HOUSE
Match Books DO NOT promote smoking because most smokers carry lighters. Recipients of a restaurant's advertising matches are pleased with the many uses that matches provide around the house such as: lighting the backyard grill, decorative candles, hurricane candles and birthday candles, their fireplace, their gas stove or relighting a gas pilot light. Plus, for over the past 110+ years, matchbooks have proven to be the most economical & most effective form of direct advertising for a business and are much more collectible than your basic business card. Many matches are collected and displayed at home, making them great conversation starters for one's guests!
You can rely upon TheMatchGroupfor your business' own unique match advertising campaign! Call one of our match mavens at 800.605.7331 today to get started designing your business' own branded advertising match books or match boxes!
FEATURE MATCHES - Match Books with Colorful Images Printed Across Flattened 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 Show1936 Giant Feature Match Book a Buick Sponsored NBC Boxing Radio ShowEarly GE Giant Feature Match BookEarly 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 Special Die Cut Feature Match Book'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 "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 TheMatchGroupto 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!
Every week we'll be featuring the best in Vintage Match Book covers, as well as our "Board of Fame" featuring a range of whimsical and uniquely designed TheMatchGroup clients' matches!
Since we at TheMatchGroup are long time match collectors, it was natural for us to curate our Pinterest "Boards" by advertising themes such as:
So be sure to get in on the ”Hot Match on Striker Action” and call our team at TheMatchGroup 800.605.7331 to design your business's functional business cards, otherwise known as advertising matches!
