The previous post made me aware of another 'iconic' item that I was wondering if it still could be found. Needless to say you forget about things until it pops up out of nowhere and your observant obsessions suddenly run parallel with other findings at the same time.

Chappies bubblegum: http://www.chappieswrappers.iblog.co.za/ , [post of 2 august 2007 the story of 'Did you know?'] I found myself at the Noordhoek farm village, on Saturday, where this little bric brac/antique shop also sells candy, the old fashioned way, and there they were the iconic bubblegum chappies. The main conversation always revolves about the price:" I remember buying them for half a cent each." These ones were 20 cents each and that after 35 years. Okay the inflation rate cannot be measured to a sweet and that's not the point.

It was the wrappers, where everyone read out their Did you know...while blowing these enormous bubbles. Was that our Internet? Information overload? Pity they never got filed. As kids we found such simple pleasures. Anyway, the realization today is what an incredible way to market a simple bubblegum when there were plenty others to choose from.

So the next day in the Sunday Papers I came across this ad making use of the Chappies Did you know ... wrapper.

Its an advert for entrants to be aware of and enter the marketing excellence awards of 2008. Brilliant.

So, do designers/artists subconsciously 'work' in their marketing tools, in their work? Is the 'name' and the exposure still an important and sufficient marketing solution?