Celebrate a beloved piece of American advertising history with this vintage-inspired tribute to Burma-Shave's iconic red logo.
From 1926 to 1966, Burma-Shave transformed the American roadside experience with their innovative and entertaining highway advertising campaign. What began as a small Minneapolis-based shaving cream company founded by Clinton Odell became a cultural phenomenon that captivated motorists across the country. The company's genius lay in their sequential roadside signs that told humorous stories, delivered clever rhymes, and promoted safe driving habits, all while building brand recognition for their brushless shaving cream.
Burma-Shave's distinctive red signs became an integral part of American road culture, with thousands of sign sets installed along highways nationwide. Families would eagerly anticipate reading the next Burma-Shave sequence during long car trips, turning mundane drives into entertaining adventures. The company's witty slogans like "Don't take a curve at 60 per / We hate to lose a customer" and "The whale put Jonah down the hatch / But coughed him up because he scratched" became part of American folklore, demonstrating advertising's power to entertain while educating.
Unfortunately, the rise of interstate highways in the 1950s and 1960s fundamentally changed American driving patterns. The new high-speed limited-access roads made Burma-Shave's sequential sign approach impractical and potentially dangerous. Simultaneously, competition from aerosol shaving creams and changing grooming habits eroded the company's market share. Philip Morris purchased Burma-Shave in 1963, but by 1966, the last of the iconic roadside signs were removed, marking the end of one of America's most beloved advertising campaigns.
Product Details:
- Fabric: 100% preshrunk heavy cotton (5.3 oz)
- Brand: Printed on premium Gildan 5000
- Fit: Classic unisex cut for comfortable everyday wear
- Sizes: Available in S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL
- Colors: Multiple popular color options available
- Design: Distressed vintage logo on front chest; blank back
- Printing: State-of-the-art direct-to-garment technology for lasting quality
- Label: Convenient tear-away label for comfort
This premium cotton tee captures the nostalgic essence of classic American advertising with its authentically weathered, cracked vintage aesthetic. Perfect for advertising enthusiasts, vintage Americana collectors, or anyone who remembers the golden age of creative highway marketing.
Relive the golden age of American road culture with this timeless tribute to Burma-Shave's legendary place in advertising and automotive history.