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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Down To Earth

Bizarre 1962 oil advertisement that boasts about melting glaciers

This could be an idea for Mad Men.

Before Exxon there were the Esso, Enco and Humble brands. Exxon formerly replaced them in 1973. I don't know if they retained the services of the ad agency behind this gem in LIFE from 1962 but the companies brag about supplying enough energy to melt 7 million tons of glacier. It might be hard to see the text - go here for a closer look - but the copy reads:

This giant glacier has remained unmelted for centuries. Yet the petroleum energy Humble supples—if converted into heat—could melt it at the rate of 80 tons each second! To meet the nation’s growing needs for energy, Humble has applied science to nature’s resources to become America’s Leading Energy Company. Working wonders with oil through research, Humble provides energy in many forms — to help heat our homes, power our transportation, and to furnish industry with a great variety of versatile chemicals. Stop at a Humble station for new Enco Extra gasoline, and see why the “Happy Motoring” Sign is the World’s First Choice!”



Down To Earth

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