1944-1960 Kleenex Tissues Advertising

 
Little Lulu became the centerpiece for a national advertising campaign for Kleenex Tissues through an agreement with Foote, Cone & Belding advertising agency from Chicago. Marge created the artwork for magazine and newspaper advertisements, billboards, display cards, and subway and trolly cards advertisements. Other merchandise was alse created to advertise Kleenex Tissues. Some of these items are displayed below:
Magazine Ads
Billboards
Paint Book
Lulu and Tubby Masks
Lulu Glass
Display Cards
Valentines
Little Lulu and Her Magic Tricks Book
Kleenex Wrap
Little Lulu Magic Rub-Off Pictures

Magazine Ads

Here are some of the magazine ads that were a major part of the advertising campaign. The first two, from 1945 and 1946, were half-page ads; the third, from 1949, was a quarter-page ad; and the rest were full-page ads from 1949, 1954, 1955, and 1956. The copyright was for International Cellucotton Products Co. until and including some of 1955; it then changed to Kimberly-Clark Corporation. You can see the changes in Little Lulu and Tubby from the mid-40s to the mid-50s.

Billboards 1948 & 1957

Here are three postcards that show one the two Kleenex billboards at Times Square. The first two appear to be from 1948; the third from 1957.

The first postcard is #P3867 by Herbco Card Co. The second picture is on two different postcards, both ALMA. One is #55965 by Dexter Press, Inc.; the other is #716 by Fred Mainzer, Inc. The last card is by Miller Art Co., Inc.

Kleenex Premiums

Paint Book

This paint book by Whitman with a 1951 copyright by Marjorie Henderson Buell appears to be an advertisement give away. There are two full pages of advertising for Kleenex - on the inside front cover and on the back cover. Lulu is not featured in the advertising.The Lulu on this cover is more like the Lulu from the comic books of the 50s; however, the pages inside are similar to those in a 1946 paint book based on the Lulu in the Saturday Evening Post - in fact, some of the pages are identical. This book has only 13 pages. It appears to be an advertisement give away. The pictures below show the front cover, the inside front cover and first page, and the back cover.

Lulu and Tubby Masks

The two masks below were given as Kleenex premiums in 1952. They assemble so the hair and ears fold back, and then the mask is held in place by a rubber band around the back of the head.

 

Lulu Glass

These glasses advertising Kleenex were made by Western Publishing Company, Inc. Note the image of Lulu is the same as the image on the display card from 1950 below. (Thanks, Micheline, for the use of your photo)

 

Display Cards

These two display cards, when assembled, stand up and were apparently used as counter displays for Kleenex Tissues. The first one has a 1950 copyright by International Cellucotton Products Co., and the second has a 1956 copyright by Kimberly-Clark Corporation. It has directions for folding a Kleenex accordian style and inserting it as part of Lulu's dress.

 

Valentines

These valentines were part of the campaign for Kleenex Tussues. Each of the four valentines has instructions for using a Kleenex Tissue to complete the card. If you want to see them in greater detail, click here. They have no copyright date, but the assembly instructions appear similar to those in the display cards above.

 

Little Lulu and Her Magic Tricks

Little Lulu and Her Magic Tricks is from 1954. It originally had a little package of Kleenex tissues attached on top of the book, but those are now gone from this book. The story is about Lulu making things with Kleenex to amuse Alvin. There are items related to this book, including a record (see back) and piano sheet music (see inside) and words to the song.

Kleenex Wrap

This is a paper wrap that went around three boxes of Kleenex tissues for a "Magic Pack Sale." The wrap contains "Make a Mr. Scarecrow." "He's a Kleenex magic trick." It also contains advertisement for Marge's Little Lulu and Her Magic Tricks book for only 25¢.

 

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  Page last updated 18 Feb 2005.
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