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Oh those zany advertising characters, we've grown up with them and grown accustomed to them, from legends like Reddy Kilowatt and Speedy Alka Seltzer, to new kids on the block such as the Arby's Oven Mitt. The names and attributes of these popular advertising characters are as important to twentieth century American culture as the products they symbolize. This web site offers an entertaining look at the history and design of these pop culture icons, with their timeless appeal for consumers of all ages.
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REDDY KILOWATT
Reddy Kilowatt was the creation of Ashton B. Collins, a merchandising manager with the Alabama Power Company. On a stormy afternoon in 1926, Collins watched flashes of lightning form the image of a figure against the darkened sky. With this inspiration, Collins sketched the first Reddy. He later added a smiling face, a light bulb nose, receptacle ears, and rubber safety boots and named him "Reddy Kilowatt, Your Electrical Servant."
SPEEDY ALKA-SELTZER
Bob Watkins and Chuck Tenant were World War II army buddies. After the war, Tenant went to work for Wade Advertising in Chicago, which held the account for Miles, Inc. One day, he called his friend Watkins, now a commercial artist, to help create an ad character for Alka-Seltzer. Watkins quickly mailed back several sketches of a child character originally named "Sparky." According to Watkins, the whole idea developed within three hours. Pretty good for what was to become one of America's best known and best loved trademark characters.
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Sources: Advertising Character Collectibles by Warren Dotz
