![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBu2s-3zII/AAAAAAAACSc/S2RyTjN1_-w/s400/COW002detail.jpg)
It's a testament to the popularity of Al Capp's comic strip,
Li'l Abner, that clients must've been falling all over themselves to use Abner as pitchman for their products. Have a look at the variety of ads shown here. As always, click on the images for larger versions.
Abner and family want us to buy Fruit of the Loom underwear -- Abner seems to prefer boxers, while the next generation is sporting briefs.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwButi91w4I/AAAAAAAACSU/RYTxw4ci3CA/s400/Loom01.jpg)
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwButC_1OQI/AAAAAAAACSM/iDPLHqnJ9kw/s400/Kraft01.jpg)
Abner hawks laundry soap, while urging you to name this Shmoo! Heck, I'll name a Shmoo for 20 grand!
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBuspzUamI/AAAAAAAACSE/8cS2BODi8KQ/s400/dreft.jpg)
Abner plugs the Bob Hope movie, That Certain Feeling -- which, not so coincidentally, features a cameo by Al Capp!
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBusQDE3FI/AAAAAAAACR8/z1N74qz7TB0/s400/Certain.jpg)
And now we come to the cream of the crop -- literally! Cream of Wheat ran an ad campaign featuring Li'l Abner for over a decade -- from the early '40s into the '50s. The two full page ads directly below are not typical of the campaign. Most of the ads were of the comic strip variety -- keep scrolling down to see three examples of those.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBuex7WqWI/AAAAAAAACR0/vHLFBnqW6IY/s400/COW001.jpg)
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBueX559JI/AAAAAAAACRs/Zs4knQk5t68/s400/COW002.jpg)
The first comic strip ad is an early one -- from 1941. Early examples all have this "long shot" look to them, but it wasn't long before someone figured out the format allowed for a big top panel - and that panel could feature a big sexy shot of Daisy Mae (or Wolf Gal, on a few occasions) -- and the strips started looking more graphically pleasing (in more ways than one). Ads usually ran in black and white or two color -- I've only seen a very few full color examples. I have dozens of these -- and if you folks like them, I'll scan and post more -- just ask.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBuRnl7VFI/AAAAAAAACRk/O7DBrNnKb98/s400/COW003.jpg)
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBuRJ3j-VI/AAAAAAAACRc/XAZ0IxqHldU/s400/COW004.jpg)
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBuQ6QM4pI/AAAAAAAACRU/H1aL-73Ou54/s400/COW005.jpg)
Alas, all good things come to an end. After a decade of selling their product with comic strips featuring a lunkheaded hillbilly and (more importantly) his gorgeous backwoods gal,
Cream of Wheat retired the
Li'l Abner campaign and brought in a rambunctious kid to pitch their cereal. Here's
Dennis the Menace taking Abner's place. Dennis' mom
is kinda cute -- but I must admit -- she's no Daisy Mae.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Jhu_c3iV6VQ/SwBuQqgYC9I/AAAAAAAACRM/cypVSczoGlc/s400/Dennis.jpg)
Now before anyone takes me to task for forgetting the
Fearless Fosdick Wildroot Cream Oil ads -- I do have a few -- and will scan and post them soon. In the meantime, please let me know if you'd like to see more of these comic strip ads!
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