Smiley Barns, Burger King's nostalgic 'Rule' | Rolando's Roadside Roundup
I visit sunny Midwestern barns, break down BK's "You Rule' campaign and pay tribute to a neon museum about to go dark. Plus, lots o' Notes From the Road!
Smiles on barns, buttons and the story of the Smiley Face’s father
Smile! Friday was World Smile Day, which I celebrated over on my Instagram page by sharing the story of The Smiley Barn in Delafield, Wisconsin, a story that over the years has induced facial contortions including grins, grimaces, scowls and recently, for the past four years, smiles again. (Tap below to read it.)
A cheery landmark on the drive on I-94, The Smiley Barn is not the only big smile I encountered on the side of a Midwestern barn this summer.
Another guaranteed mood lifter is this adorable smile that graces Mom Wilson’s Sausage, established in 1959, in Delaware, Ohio. I visited during a busy few days exploring the Buckeye State back in July. This is not the shop itself — that’s across busy U.S. 23, and I drove right past this barn on my first try. But I’m glad I stopped in the store, too, which is lovely to browse.
I was warmly greeted, as you would expect from a third-generation, family-run business. And I picked up a savory snack for the road — just a little of the Cracker Sausage.
I just love this sign in the parking lot, below.
Smiles will be extra wide next year, when the Smiley Face that started it all celebrates its 60th anniversary. That iconic smile has not always been around, but was the creation of Harvey Ball, a Worcester, Massachusetts-based graphic designer. The story goes he was paid $240 total for the design (and just $45 for the button!) he conceived for a local insurance concern that was facing an employee morale crisis after a merger.
Explains the Worcester Historical Museum:
Young turned to Harvey Ball, a freelance commercial artist, and asked him to create a little smile that could be used on buttons, desk cards, and posters. Ball drew a smile. Not satisfied with the result, he added two eyes, making a smile face. The whole drawing, he recalled later, took ten minutes.
The Worcester-Guarantee companies launched the campaign in 1964, distributing the initial order of 100 smile buttons to their representatives. Agents and clients enthusiastically responded to the yellow buttons; thereafter Young reordered in lots of 10,000. By about 1978 or 1979, however, the campaign had run its course and the smile face symbol was retired.
Some day soon, I’d like to get to Worcester to photograph the Smiley Face mural at 261 Main St. and visit the historical museum to explore the story of the Smiley Face in the city of its birth.
Countless others have profited handsomely from his creation — and have even claimed to be its creator — but his family has been quoted as saying that money was never the biggest motivator for Mr. Ball. It’s nice to know the fellow who created the Smiley Face just wanted to spread some cheer.
I keep a smiley poster — not Ball’s creation — but one that I love for its graphical look and simple message, right by my front door. Each time I head out of the house, I am reminded to “Think Happy Today!”
This poster was given out by Twin City Federal in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 40 years ago this autumn. I tracked one down after seeing the poster in an Instagram post from the wonderful Wary Meyers.
1974’s ‘Have It Your Way’ — with a 2022 twist — coming to Burger King with ‘You Rule’ concept
Fast-food brands continue to tap their heritage to attract costumers and remain relevant. Nostalgia is huge and marketing in our cluttered social-media landscape has never been harder. Brand equity, far from being something to discard, is a distinguishing tool these days, especially if you can find a way to refresh it for new generations.
We’ve seen this with Pizza Hut, of course, and its embrace of the essence of the 1970s pizza-parlor experience. And recently, even McDonald’s, which has demolished most of its mansard buildings and kicked Ronald McDonald and friends to the marketing curb, has gotten into the act with the “Happy Meal for Adults” featuring a twist on classic McDonaldland characters. (I did an unboxing in a newsletter last week.) Heck, Halloween pails are even making a comeback later this month at McDonald’s for the first time in years.
Burger King has been part of this trend. I was among the first people, back in 2020, to report that BK was bringing back a version of its 1969-1999 logo. There had been no press release — just something I noticed happening to a store in Danvers, Massachusetts. Soon, I ran into others. In fact, BK was not talking about it until making the logo change official in an announcement later that year.
Since then, I’ve spotted redesigned stores with the retro logo in dozens of communities, but the change, last I heard, is not mandatory.
The latest turn in BK’s retro-flavored marketing is the “You Rule” campaign — the King handing over the power to his subjects, an idea which, of course, has always been at the heart of the “Have It Your Way” campaign, launched in 1974.
According to a news release from Burger King:
This campaign is the emotional articulation of “Have It Your Way” – “You Rule” is about celebrating everyday royalty, and puts the Guest at the forefront of everything the brand does. And, as an added nod to the powerful Burger King equity – it comes to life through a new take on the classic “Have it Your Way” jingle from the 1970s.
Below is the new ad and one of the original “Have It Your Way” commercials from 1974.
You’ve got to watch the commercial BK dropped on YouTube to see how well they are playing off the good will associated with the “Have It Your Way” campaign.
And how they are doubling down on the fresh retro aesthetic. Shots of Burger King stores appear a few times in the ad, and they all feature the redesigned retro logo. The paper crowns BK still gives out — a staple of many birthday parties I attended as a kid — make an appearance as well.
By the way, those stripes in the 2022 commercial, top, sure do recall the ones in this 1974 ad, above.
The redesigned stores each have a “Have It Your Way” wall, which features the pure 1969 logo. (The current one is closer to the tweaked and short-lived 1994 version.)
Here are shots from the store in Danvers, Massachusetts:
More to come as this campaign rolls out!
Lights out: Neon Museum of Philadelphia will close in December
This is such sad news. The Neon Museum of Philadelphia is closing Dec. 11 after almost two years. I’m going to try to make it down before they do, and maybe you can, too.
From their Instagram post:
After almost two years of love and light, we’re sad to announce that the Neon Museum of Philadelphia is closing its doors.
As we near the end of our run, we celebrate the opportunity we’ve had to display our collection of history and art with visitors from Philadelphia and beyond. It has been a pleasure to share our love of neon and appreciation for Philly culture in this unique community space.
They are looking for a new home for their collection. If you have any leads, please email Alyssa Shea at info@neonmuseumofphiladelphia.org.
Please read more about the remarkable work Len Davidson has done over the years, celebrating, preserving and restoring the neon legacy of Philadelphia.
Sign Spotlight: Harvest Drive-in, Marion, North Carolina
It’s such a crisp, perfect fall day, the kind of weather I crave, a day just made for hitting the road in search of treasures like the always autumnal Harvest Drive-in, in Marion, North Carolina.
I stopped by this restaurant Memorial Day weekend in 2021, and it was closed that day. It made an impression on me, and so I present it on this weekend when so many folks are out leaf-peeping and enjoying autumn’s finest.
The Harvest has been here since 1962, and happily still looks like it. May we reap its bounty for many more seasons!
Notes From the Road
My friend, the historian Eric K. Washington, is leading the push to landmark the last known “colored” schoolhouse in Manhattan. [New York Times]
How Wing On Wo & Co, NYC Chinatown’s oldest-operating business, has been revitalized by a fifth-generation entrepreneur. [The Guardian]
The Red Arrow Diner in Manchester, New Hampshire, turns 100! (Oh, and I really want one of their mugs! I have a mug problem.) [NH Business Review]
Speaking of restaurants named after a certain color, the Red Circle Inn, said to be Wisconsin’s oldest restaurant, has new owners. [Fox 6]
Fun fact: Seattle has a Log House Museum, most worthy of a visit. Just wait till November before visiting— it’s closed now because of roof repairs. [West Seattle Blog] [Explore the museum]
The Odd Fellows Building in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, can’t be torn down. [WDRB]
The Edina Theatre, with its gloriously restored sign, has reopened in Edina, Minnesota. Asks the Star Tribune, “is there a future for neighborhood theaters in the Twin Cities”? [Star Tribune]
There’s sadness in Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, after the beloved Mel’s Tea Room (known for its milkshakes) closed after 77 years. The beautiful sign is up for grabs, and will be lit one final time this weekend. [Iheartradio.ca]
Amazing: A Memphis, Tennessee, high school building that closed after graduating its last class — in 1972 (!!) — will be renovated after all this time. [Action News 5]
The landmark Shrine Auditorium in Billings, Montana, is sold for $2.2 million. [KTVQ]
A profile of The Joynt, an Eau Claire, Wisconsin, dive bar famed for its NO LIGHT BEER sign — among other things. (I missed it back in July!) [VolumeOne]
The Bel Aire, a diner in Astoria, Queens, in NYC, is closed for a “deep cleaning” at the Health Department’s order. [Patch]
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