For example, do you remember "America's Favorite Cola Drink with Vitamin B1" - Kooba Cola?
Not seeming familiar?
They even had big contests and prizes...
...and in a particularly cool move, they gave out free sodas via coupons in the comics. (Yep, one more reason to not be able to find those old books in good shape)
There was, however, one particularly Odd bit about Kooba Cola -
It didn't exist.
See that note at the bottom of the ad above?
"If your Dealer happens to be out of KOOBA or has yet to be supplied, mail the coupon..."
The entire campaign was an attempt by Victor Fox (from whom Fox comics get their name) to create a demand for Kooba Cola, which he would then license to a soda manufacturer using the pre-existing demand to gain favorable contract conditions. Kooba may have been derived from Cuba, where Fox had sugar interests - likely tying into a further profit angle for the whole scheme.
Had it worked out, folks would have called him genius. Instead, he just lost a lot of advertising dollars and effort, but avoided losing much greater capital investments in an actual product.
The biggest victim of the plan, besides his advertising department?
Possibly the Blue Beetle. Kooba Cola was a sponsor of his radio show - in the scripts, at least. But a sponsor that paid no advertising rate. That had to hurt. I've seen it said that caused the show to go off the air after only a few months, but also have seen reference to the show lasting for 3 years or more, broadcasting from WMCA in New York City. I'll let someone who knows radio better sort that one out.
A little bonus - as long as we're doing adverts today anyway, let's close with a sampling from the Blue Beetle radio show -
ads from issues of Mystery Men, Rex Dexter and Wonderworld Comics (1940)
