“The most useful of all foods”

[Life, October 15, 1951. Click for a larger advertisement.]

Zippy (November 13, 2018): “Th’ soup can on this Andy Warhol refrigerator magnet speaks to me!” Me too, Zippy. When the weather turns cold, I think of the soups of my childhood, Campbell’s Tomato and Lipton Noodle. Granted, they’re little more than sodium delivery systems, but I like them. With Campbell’s I have half a can; with Lipton I drain most of the broth. My nostalgia is okay with less sodium.

I’ll leave most of the text of this advertisement to speak for itself. The one detail I’ll highlight: the tip to “take it [the soup] just as comes from the can, season to taste, and pour over hamburgers, fish and leftovers.” Makes me think of something David Sedaris might write. Be careful not to drop any ashes as you’re pouring.

I think Zippy would find this advertisement a trove of over and overs: “Golden creamery butter! Golden creamery butter!”