Santa was used to advertise products by many companies
Through out the decades Santa Claus has been used by many companies to advertise their products. This lens will introduce you to some vintage advertising using illustrations of the Jolly Old Elf.
Santa has helped sell everything from Coca-Cola to greeting cards, railroads, tobacco products, vehicles, and so much more.
Take a journey into Christmas past with me in the form of old advertising pages.
Haddon Sundblom and the Coke Santa
Series of ads from 1931 to 1964
Haddon Sundblom (1899-1976) created 3 corporate icons during his career: Aunt Jemima, Quaker man for Quaker Oats, and his most memorable the Coca-Cola Santa.
He created the first Santa for Coca-Cola in 1931 as a billboard which created a ad campaign spanning 33 years. Sundblom created his last Santa for Coke in 1964 which is shown here to the right.
His image of a grandfatherly and joyful Santa Claus became the imagery used by many to portray the jolly old elf.
Santa Sold Gibson Greeting Cards in 1953
Celebrities Played Santa in Ads
All sorts of celebrities would put on the Santa Suit and help to advertise a variety of products. Like this 1954 Sheaffer Pen ad with Jackie Gleason promoting the snorkel pens with a Santa hat on.
Arthur Godfrey dressed as Santa to sell Chesterfield Cigarettes in 1948.
Throughout the decades Santa has been portrayed by many male and female celebrities promoting everything from apples to zebra skin purses.
Tobacco Companies Used Santa Claus
Tobacco companies who sold Camel Cigarettes and Prince Albert pipe tobacco loved to use Santa in their holiday advertising. Usually showing an illustration of Santa Claus and the Christmas packaging of their products for that season. The above picture shows the 1943 products.
1947 Coca-Cola Santa Ad by Haddon Sundblom
Santa on Amazon
The Night Before Christmas: A Family Treasury of Songs, Poems, and Stories
Amazon Price: $7.98 (as of 11/20/2009) 
Dream of Santa: Haddon Sundblom's Advertising Paintings for Christmas, 1932-1964
Amazon Price: (as of 11/20/2009)
Nicholas: The Epic Journey from Saint to Santa Claus
Amazon Price: $18.96 (as of 11/20/2009)
Santa Claus
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 11/20/2009)
1953 Coca-Cola Santa Ad by Haddon Sundblom
Places to Visit with Vintage Santa Advertising and Paper Collectibles
- Santa Claus in Advertising at The Paper Trail
- Santa Claus featured in vintage magazine ads promoting numerous companies and their products from decades of the past.
- Santa Claus and White Rock from 1915
- The White Rock Collectors Association
Does Santa Claus still drink White Rock? With the holiday season approaching we see all the advertising that comes with the season. We were wondering if Santa Claus still drank White Rock? The first time we knew Santa Claus preferred... - Santa: Coca-Cola & Santa Claus
- Most people can agree on what Santa Claus looks like - jolly, with a red suit and a white beard. But he did not always look that way. Learn how Coca-Cola advertising helped shape this modern-day image of Santa.
Santa Sells an International Truck in 1939
Santa Advertises Coca-Cola in Commercial
Santa Sold Magazines Too
Just by being on the cover
Magazine companies loved to have Santa on the cover of their magazines and would have famous artists such as J. C. Leyendecker and Norman Rockwell do a Santa Cover on an annual basis. The following links are reproductions of those covers that can be purchased at AllPosters.com
Newsboy and Santa, c.1912Giclee Print
Leyendecker,...
28 in. x 34 in.
Buy at AllPosters.com
Santa Behind Window, c.1919 Giclee Print
Leyendecker,...
Buy at AllPosters.com
Hug from Santa, c.1925 Giclee Print
Leyendecker,...
Buy at AllPosters.com
Santa Up a Ladder, c.1930 Giclee Print
Leyendecker,...
Buy at AllPosters.com
Santa at the Map Giclee Print
Rockwell, Norman
Buy at AllPosters.com
Santa's Good Boys Giclee Print
Rockwell, Norman
Buy at AllPosters.com
Santa's and His Elves Giclee Print
Rockwell, Norman
Buy at AllPosters.com
Santa Photos
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eBay offers Santa Claus in Advertising
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Vintage Santa Claus Collection
A Rating for Santa?
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Santa's Little Guestbook
Let me know you stopped in to read about Santa and his advertising campaigns of yesteryear. Tell me about your memories of Santa as a child.
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Reply
- Marelisa Marelisa Aug 4, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
- Love it! I'd never thought of it before, but Santa Clause is used a lot by advertisers. I guess it's sort of like having a celebrity endorsement. :-)
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Reply
- spirituality spirituality Apr 11, 2009 @ 1:24 am
- Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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Reply
- Susan52 Susan52 Mar 6, 2009 @ 11:22 am
- Lensrolling this lens to my Santa Claus lens and to my J.C. Leyendecker lens. I love Santa ads and classic pictures like these.
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Reply
- lisadh lisadh Nov 11, 2008 @ 4:30 pm
- Santa is definitely a great spokesperson. I remember the Norelco razor ads where he zoomed around on a giant razor instead of a sleigh. Anyone else recall those - or am I dating myself? :-)
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Reply
- Susan52 Susan52 Nov 11, 2008 @ 12:26 pm
- I adore these Santa ads! But, then, what's not to love about Santa Claus?! (Returning the lensroll to my Who is Santa Claus lens. Thanks!)
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About BevsPaper
Lensmaster BevsPaper has been a member since June 18 2008, has rated 2,966 lenses, favorited 359, and has created 127 lenses from scratch. Bev Owens donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "Elvis Presley Sings Gospel". See all my lenses
Copyright: November 9, 2008 by BevsPaper (Beverly (Owens).
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