Frank RowsomeCritiques

A look at what was once the most iconic advertising campaign in America; the Burma-Shave roadside signs. How it all started, the system of writing the jingles, making the signs, and getting them placed; and, of course, a list of every official Burma-Shave ad. A side note in history that is amusing and nostalgic. Reader's Digest published an excerpt, along with the best epitaph for the campaign...

Super highways
Super speed
People have
No time to Read
Goodbye,
Burma-Shave½

I loved this, I really did. I am of an age (ahem) to remember Burma-Shave signs in their original habitat. I clearly remember riding along lonely Montana highways with my siblings fighting to read the little red signs out loud. (I also remember looking out the back window to read the signs on the other side of the road...backwards.)

The book is short, with an adequate history of the advertising thinking behind the iconic signs, an interesting examination of the various classifications of sign sets, and the sad examination of what led to the end of it all. As I said, it's short (68 pages) so it doesn't get deeply into the theories of advertising. But that's fine. It may be there wasn't any deep theorizing in this campaign. It was fun, it was cheap, and it worked.

To me, the best part of the book was the appendix. There is listed every single jingle ever used! (It took 50 pages) And yes, I easily found the ones I knew. Gave me a warm 8 year-old-in-the-back-seat feeling.½

I don't recall ever seeing a Burma-Shave sign, but I enjoyed reading my favorite aunt and uncle's copy during a long-ago visit. Now I have a copy of my own and it's still fun to read. I like the illustrations, too. The story about what happened when the company offered a free trip to Mars for 900 empty jars and someone qualified for that offer is my favorite chapter!

What a trip down memory lane! I remember waiting to see who could spot the next sign first when we were on family trips. These 600 roadside jingles about Burma Shave have been called "America's happiest advertising" and I don't think they have been beaten yet!