QUICK "POPEYE SODA" QUESTION

[SODAPOPBOB]

PS ~

The last link states that it was a matter of "cost" more than anything else that prevented Pepsi Cola from securing the Popeye rights, which might be the same reason why Porto Rico Beverages couldn't secure them ... ???

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

If you didn't think I was crazy before, you definitely will after reading this one ... [sm=thumbup1.gif]


Even though I sometimes post slightly off-topic discussions like the following, please know that my primary goal has been the same since the beginning, which is hopefully to find and purchase a Popeye Soda Bottle ~ Bottle Cap ~ Paper Label ~ Another Sign ~ and/or anything else related to a Popeye Tropical Beverage. My intent is not merely to prove the brand's existence, which, based on the current evidence, may or may not have developed beyond a prototype stage, but more importantly because I am a collector in search of a rare selection of items that I have become slightly obsessed with. If you are a collector like myself, then I'm sure you know the feeling. Were it not for this obsessive tendency I possess, I would never be able to justify the hours and hours of time I have spent researching this topic. For example, this particular post is the result of no less than six solid hours of Internet time, which I hope everyone finds interesting and worthwhile. If nothing else, I hope it will at least help connect some of the dots and add pieces to the puzzle as to what actually went on way back when and why there is so little evidence today regarding the existence of a most elusive brand of soda pop.

It was the result of discovering Pepsi Cola's failed attempt to acquire the rights to use Popeye in their advertising in 1939 that led me to dig deeper into this and see if I could find a similar connection to the Porto Rico Beverage Company possible failed attempt to do the same. And even though I was unable to find anything concrete in relation to this, I do believe there are parallels that can be drawn which are worth considering and will illustrate that if the Pepsi Cola Company couldn't afford to buy the Popeye rights, that a much smaller company like Porto Rico Beverages couldn't afford them either, and that this may be what prevented the Porto Rico Company from pursuing the project beyond a a brief prototype phase.

The links below tell the story best, which I will summarize now in my own words and hopefully make them more easily understood ...

Walter Mack (Pepsi Cola's president from 1939 to 1950) attempted but failed to acquire the rights to use Popeye in their advertising primarily because of the enormous cost. Instead, he employed the talents of the Newell-Emmett Advertising Agency of New York to come up with a campaign that would rival anything done previously and one that would help pull the Pepsi Cola Company out of a state of near bankruptcy. But in doing this, Mack never dropped the idea of using characters similar to Popeye in that they would become revitalized after taking a sip of Pepsi just like Popeye became revitalized after eating spinach. The first thing the Newell-Emmett agency came up with were two Keystone Cop-type characters they called Sarge and Large, who Mack liked a lot but changed their names to Pepsi and Pete. If you are familiar with the Pepsi and Pete comic strip or TV commercials that used to appear in newspapers and on TV back in the 1940s, then you know they were a couple of bumbling idiots. At least they were idiots until after they took a drink of Pepsi at which time they turned into super heroes who always saved the day. Watch the YouTube video below and you will see what I mean.

Another interesting aspect to this subject is the Pepsi Cola jingle "Nickle-Nickle" that was introduced in 1940 following the introduction of the characters Pepsi and Pete. I have read where this jingle was supposed to be similar to Popeye's theme song, which is another indicator of just how obsessed Walter Mack was with the whole Popeye idea. But after listening to both songs, I personally don't see the similarity between them despite what I've read about it. However, there is a similarity between the "Nickle Nickle" jingle and the 19th Century tune "John Peel" which is referred to in link number 7 below ... of which I like the "Spinners" 1964 version a lot better.

In conclusion ...

Despite the off-nature of this post, I believe it is a good example as any in support of those like myself who are of the opinion that Popeye Tropical Beverage never made it beyond a prototype stage because the Porto Rico Pale Dry Company either couldn't afford to pay for those rights or else just couldn't secure them for other reasons. Which might explain why there are so few collectibles available today such as bottles - caps - labels - signs - etc.

But this doesn't mean the search ends here, because I have every intention of continuing my research and hopefully someday will be able to post a picture of a Popeye soda bottle that will at long last "cap" off this thread once and for all time.

Sincerely

Bob

Links ... I apologize for their size - I don't know how to make them smaller!

1. Price Was Too High:
Http://books.Google.com/books?id=Wr_yPYvkNWwC&pg=PA81&LPG=PA81&dq=Popeye+Pepsi&source=bl&ots=Xn7jLZDy1W&sig=tke5cyTV6yTyN0wlfbGKRj7LWy4&hl=en&as=X&ei=ZvI4UIOxNejg2QXG3oDoDg&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Popeye%20pepsi&f=false

2. Newell-Emmett:
Http://books.Google.com/books?ei=HfM4UJeFJojg2AXDloGIDw&id=FWubix1gB2MC&dq=Popeye+Pepsi&q=Popeye

3. Newell-Emmett Advertising Reference: Scroll to "An Agency Switch"
http://books.google.com/books?ei=HfM4UJeFJojg2AXDloGIDw&id=FWubix1gB2MC&dq=popeye+pepsi&q=newell+emmett

4. Newell-Emmett - Pepsi Cola Connection:
http://adage.com/article/news/pepsi-turns-100-world-s-great-brands-shaped-large-measure-advertising/65046/

5. Pepsi and Pete Commercial YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRceIelAB3s

6. Popeye Theme Song YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvPs6A4eyBI

7. John Peel Tune 1917 Version YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY5YT6Kw9BA&feature=related

8. John Peel Tune 1964 Spinners Version YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P11zSyfmdS4&feature=related

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

I'm not sure why the first two links didn't post properly, but I will try them again ...

Http://books.Google.com/books?id=Wr_yPYvkNWwC&pg=PA81&LPG=PA81&dq=Popeye+Pepsi&source=bl&ots=Xn7jLZDy1W&sig=tke5cyTV6yTyN0wlfbGKRj7LWy4&hl=en&as=X&ei=ZvI4UIOxNejg2QXG3oDoDg&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Popeye%20pepsi&f=false


Http://books.Google.com/books?ei=HfM4UJeFJojg2AXDloGIDw&id=FWubix1gB2MC&dq=Popeye+Pepsi&q=Popeye

 

[epackage]

I hope I'm alive and well when you finally have this whole thing figured out, and a bottle in your hands...[]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

epackage ~

You and me both - including trying to maintain my sanity in posting these two links that work fine until I try and post them. Here goes again ...

http://books.google.com/books?id=Wr_yPYvkNWwC&pg=PA81&LPG=PA81&dq=Popeye+Pepsi&source=bl&ots=Xn7jLZDy1W&sig=tke5cyTV6yTyN0wlfbGKRj7LWy4&hl=en&as=X&ei=ZvI4UIOxNejg2QXG3oDoDg&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Popeye%20pepsi&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?ei=HfM4UJeFJojg2AXDloGIDw&id=FWubix1gB2MC&dq=Popeye+Pepsi&q=Popeye

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Jim / epackage ~

You asked for a "bottle in your hands."

Well, here ya go! This is cropped from my paper sign and is probably the closest I will ever get to a real bottle. []

Bob

 

[epackage]

Maybe if you eat Spinach every day for a year you'll get lucky and the Bottle Gods will send one your way...[]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

ORIGINAL: epackage

Maybe if you eat Spinach every day for a year you'll get lucky and the Bottle Gods will send one your way...[]

Are you talking about these gods? If so, been there - done that - but still no Popeye bottle! [sm=thumbup.gif]

 

[fanboy]

The google books link says Pepsi tried to by the strip; which means to be they wanted to by all rights to Popeye. (Like Dairy Queen bought Denis the Menace) It would appear that Pepsi was not interested in a licensing agreement. I doubt Porto Rico would try and buy Popeye, they would have tried to license the character, which is quite possible based on the number of Popeye items that exist.

Chris

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

Chris ~

I wondered about the term "Buy" myself, but with so little information one way or another, it's hard (for me) to determine whether it means "Buy outright" or "Buy the rights." But I agree it's possible.

My current research involves trying to find details regarding the (set of 4) Popeye postcards that were issued during WWII (1942) by the Coca Cola Company. And not because this is a connection to "Popeye Tropical Beverage" by the Porto Rico Pale Dry Company of Philadelphia, but moreso because it connects Popeye to a brand of soda pop which we know is rare. The following is all I have found so far but I am continuing to search.

SPB

Link: http://plentyo.blogspot.com/2010/04/vintage-popeye-postcard.html