Haddon Sundblom Inventor of Santa

Everyone knows that advertisers are creative. Yet none are so infamous or renowned in the advertising industry as Haddon Sundblom. Most advertisers create commercials, advertisements, and may even do a bit of art on the side, but the majority don’t end up creating a part of history and an entire culture.

However, Haddon Sundblom did just that when he created the 1931 advertisement for Coca-Cola. Sundblom created that sweet looking Santa that has made Coke so famous today. In 1931 he was the first person to create a jolly, pleasantly plump, white-bearded Santa Clause! Prior to Sundblom’s advertisement/drawing everyone thought that Santa Claus looked more like a leprechaun!

Can you imagine having two St. Patrick’s days? Thanks to Sundblom we get to decorate our house with elves and jolly old men in red suits rather than crazy looking Christmas leprechauns. He based this loveable Santa character he made off a poem he had read.

Sundblom not only came up with Santa for the coke commercials, but he also created the Quaker Oat man and Aunt Jamima! These classic commercial characters that have been a part of the lives of our grandparents, parents, and hopefully will be a significant part of our children’s life were created by this one man. So how did Sundblom get such a start in Advertising?

Sundblom was born in 1899 in Michigan, but moved to Chicago in 1912. He then worked for the Charles Everett Studios as an office boy. One day after working there he decided that he wanted to go into illustrating. He took night classes to learn how to draw. Eventually, because of people he met during his work at Charles Everett, he joined an advertising agency. His earliest clients were Coke (of course), Palmolive, Nabisco and Maxwell House just to name a few.

Unfortunately, Sundblom was not always good about completing items for his clients on time. So often other artist would have to finish or touch up his original work. One of the most prominent artists that touched up Sundblom’s work was Gil Elvgren, a student and admirer of Sundblom’s work. Elvgren learned much under Sundblom and would later go on to create masterful works as a pinup artist thanks to the experience gained from Sundblom.

Sundblom was an advertising and artistic genius that had issues with deadlines, but still managed to make a huge impact on our lives and culture. I guess that goes to show as long as you have some good people to back up your work and creative genius then you can go on to become a part of history and culture. Although I would not advise procrastinating on your work, it clearly worked out for him.

Sundblom worked from the 1920’s until his death in 1976. He lived a long and prosperous life. His life continues to live on with us today and is making other people and companies continually prosperous. Coke and Sundblom’s Santa is only one of many creations that he created that still are a part of our modern lives. It is sad to think that he made such an impact on so many generations and yet so many people don’t even know his name or who he is.

I urge you today to have a conversation with someone about Haddon Sundblom. Look up other art and culture that he created, because this man truly deserves the credit. And remember when you’re getting ready for Christmas this year that if it weren’t for Sundblom you would be decorating with a much different looking man and considering Santa to be a leprechaun.