arnotts

Dancing biscuits attract the attention of customers. An interesting commercial approach. Fairy wings, fairy music, and fairy taste.

Apart from bringing a former luxury food within the budget of working class households, Arnott's success was built on clever branding and advertising. The Milk Arrowroot 'Living pictures' campaign, which used customers' snapshots of their children, is perhaps the best-known example. As a result, Arnott's is one of a small number of brand names to gain a spurious association with Australian history and culture (others include Foster's, Holden and Vegemite), an association which has in turn been exploited in Arnott's advertising. The 1997 takeover of the company by US conglomerate Campbell's consequently inspired a degree of controversy. Because of its 'Australian' associations, Arnott's packaging and other artefacts are sought after by collectors and others. The Powerhouse Museum holds a large collection of Arnott's artefacts and in 1991 presented an exhibition on the company's history. Unlike some other manufacturers, Arnott's signage was not notable for innovation or striking graphic design, relying instead for its appeal on bold sign-writer's lettering and one of the most recognisable Australian trademarks. This sign is an excellent example of the genre. As the work of a sign-writer, rather than a lithographer or printer, the sign is also valuable as an example of this medium. Although sign-writing was the main form of advertising graphics for many decades, it is less well represented in graphic design collections than printed graphics. Charles Pickett, Curator, 2007 Source; collection.maas.museum/object/363575

I can't help noticing the tin of Arnott's Biscuits with the parrot logo. For more on Arnott's history see Arnott's Heritage.

Janette Pelosi And it has pride of place in this photo! I didn't realise Arnott's was so old. From the link above: "In 1865, a small bakery opened in Hunter Street, Newcastle, north of Sydney, New South Wales. It supplied bread, pies and biscuits to the local townspeople as well as to the crews of the many ships that docked at the port to load coal." AB

Comment from reader T. Edmonds: Appears to be at Carriage Works (FA type carriages in background) with food being served. Lad at window has two plates, so possibly working as a waiter. Appears to have a table behind the lad with a plate of food on it.

Big Bikkies! Recently sold for $450,000 in Williamstown, Victoria - yachthub.com/list/boats-for-sale/used/power-boats/gentlem...

beachcomber australia Nice find! Our vessels curator is hoping that it will become part of our Australian Register of Historic Vessels. We've now found a few pics of OOMOOBAH in the Hall collection, its pretty easy to spot!

Australian National Maritime Museum on The Commons That's great! Consciousness raised.

I did own this vessel for some time 2007-09 moored at Sanctuary Cove (QLD) Unfortunately, I did have the bow-thruster installed (Which I regret deeply) - On having a spar fixed, the shipwright found several rounds of ammunition and a hand grenade. He then phoned the Police thinking I had used the vessel for transporting who knows what? I explained to him that the vessel had been called up for service during WW2 and that a machine gun had been mounted up front.