Here's our first post on extinct brands: Red Dot potato chips from Madison, Wisconsin.
I went to school in Madison, and consider myself a student of Americana. And I never knew there was a national potato chip brand headquartered in Madison. In fact, the factory was just blocks from where I used to live (about 10-15 blocks from the state capitol building).
The Red Dot potato chip company sold their chips and popcorn in metal tins - a common practice in the 1940s and 1950s. They moved to bags in the 60s, as shown later.
They even had a mascot: Ta-To the clown. (likely pronounced "TAY-toe"). I have mixed emotions about this clown.
Excluding Ronald McDonald, I can't think of an example of a clown mascot being a good idea. Because clowns are terrifying.
Furthermore, potato chips don't seem like they'd be something a clown would eat. Clowns wear gloves, and the chip oils may seep through easily. It would involve a lot of laundry for the clowns. Also, the crumbs could get stuck to the clown makeup, resulting in itchiness and acne.
But enough about clowns.
A few links on Red Dot:
- A bio on the two founders of Red Dot foods.
- A t-shirt of the Red Dot logo and Ta-To himself.
- The Red Dot potato chip bag design (from the Wisconsin Historical Society):