As I've been showing for the past several posts, companies in one way or another tried to show they were supportive of the national war effort during World War II. For some companies this wasn't an advertising problem because it was obvious their products were necessary. Other companies...not so much.
I give you an ad for the Interwoven Stocking Company from the November 1943 National Geographic.
Click on image to see it larger.
Of course socks were important, and you often read horror stories of what soldiers went through with their socks, specifically in jungle climates. But I think this one is pushing it. It makes me think of the PF Flyer ads in the 1950s that were marketed to kids implying you could run faster and jump higher if you wore them. What exactly does this ad say? Were soldiers able to run through the jungle chasing the enemy faster because they wore Interwoven socks? They were to "sock" it to the enemy? Did the company actually have a government contract?
Okay, the real value of this ad historically is the racist image. This was acceptable during the war. I'm sure there are small companies today with limited advertising dollars with extremist views that use racial stereotypes, but you don't find it in large main stream ads.
From what I've been able to find online the Interwoven Stocking Company is no longer in business. In fact it shares a similar history to a lot of other companies I've looked up online over the years. At some point they were incorporated in Florida and simply disappeared. There must be something about Florida's laws and I don't know what it is.
Incorporated by Power, James A., Stark, William E., Rice, Lacy I’., Gregory, Marshall G., Mettler, John W., Jr., Simmons, Harold W., Interwoven Stocking Company is located at 123 Church St New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Interwoven Stocking Company was incorporated on Thursday, July 09, 1953 in the State of FL and is currently not active. Source: Public Record data - Department of State - Division of Corporations.
Posts
Do you mean to say that I didn't run faster and jump higher when I was wearing my favorite PJ Flyers?
ReplyDeleteYou know they had me convinced in the mid '50s. I imagine the adults in my Maryland neighborhood thought I was completely nuts because I used to run down the sidewalk in my PF Flyers waving my arms and then I'd jump right before I got to the corner, convinced I was going to fly before I got to the curb. Then I'd turn around and walk back up the street and try it again. It was then I realized PF Flyers ads were less than truthful. Of course it took me a lot longer to figure out that the cereal ads were also lying. My poor father had to eat a lot of bad cereal that I refused to eat after tasting it. My father remembers Jets as being especially bad tasting.
ReplyDeleteAs late as at least the 1970's there was INTERWOVEN SOX. I suppose it's the same company. It may have been absorbed by Burlington.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, you might be correct.
DeleteMarshall Gregory was my step dad who died in 1978. Along with owning Gregory's men's store in York Pennsylvania he was well-known in Manhattan and at some point in the fifties was named Man of the Year in that industry. Always generous and hard-working(and played hard) he always took care of his employees. I remember him always paying in cash in small brown envelopes till the government stepped in. Happened to check my Social Security records which told me I made $54 for the total year in 1964 as a part-time box boy at Gregory's.. I guess things were different back then as they always will be from the future perspective. Got me thinking about the top corporations of the time IBM US Steel excetera. We know that IBM is still around hard to believe after working some figures that apple is 187 times more valuable than United States Steel is at this moment. Who'da thunk!
ReplyDeleteGlad you found the post and left the comment. It is amazing to think of some of the companies that are worth billions these days that produce very little. The world is sort of turned upside down.
DeleteI am a longtime Vintage Paper Dealer who is retiring in the Spring..I have a large Collection of Interwoven Advertising from all eras and publications going back to the 1930's and 40s......prices are lowered to $5 or less for quick sale . Get back to me with any questions but do not take long as I have sent this to others...you can reach me here or at davidsgone41@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI'm not personally in the market, but there might be others so I've posted your comment. Let me know if you'd prefer I take it down.
Delete