Aladdin Industries, Inc. (Nashville, Tenn.). Search this
Type:
Archival materials
Date:
1931-2001
Scope and Contents:
Divided into eight smaller subseries, the advertising and marketing records consist of correspondence, business and strategic plans, market studies, press kits, product literature, advertisements, packaging and labels, and miscellaneous. There interoffice correspondence and correspondence with the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) which provided advertising for products and supplies for various companies. The Advertising Specialty Register listed companies and their products and trademarks. The ASI correspondence, 1962-1970, deals with Aladdin products featured in ASI's consolidated catalog service. These catalogs were sold to business and gift distributors for re-distribution to sales representatives. Correspondence, memos, invoices, contracts, and color transparencies and proof sheets of Aladdin products (--Porta Pak by Aladdin, The Aladdin Outing Kit, Beverage Butler TM Vacuum Pitcher--) for inclusion in the catalog, are found here. The business and strategic plans, for 1976, 1982, and 1995, consist of documents developed by Aladdin's Consumer Product's Division and specifically address marketing issues. The marketing studies, 1970-1986, deal with television viewership during prime time as well as testing of Aladdin products. These types of studies assisted Aladdin in determining which school lunch kits and products would be manufactured and sold.
The packaging and labels, 1951-1997, include early designs done in ink and pencil on tracing paper as well as copies from 1952-1954. Labels for Aladdin's vacuum bottle and some private brands such as the Cape Cod vacuum bottle and Diamond Brand vacuum bottle also are included. These labels are in color. The school lunch box labels, 1983-1997, depict characters and television programs such as American Gladiator, Urkel, Disney, the Jetson's princess of Power, Snoopy, Coca-Cola, Food Fighters, GI-Joe, Jem and Tom & Jerry. These labels are approximately 5" x 7" and in color. The product literature, 1937-2001, consists of printed materials describing, and announcing various Aladdin products. Most of the literature was printed on 8" x 10" sheets in color. Some price information is available. These materials are arranged chronologically.
Collection Restrictions:
Collection is open for research but the oversize map folders are stored off-site and special arrangements must be made to work with it. Contact the Archives Center for information at archivescenter@si.edu or 202-633-3270.
Collection Rights:
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.
Collection Citation:
Aladdin Industries, Inc. Records, 1889-2002, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
