Monday, December 21, 2015

Reddy Kilowatt Christmas Ads

Well, Christmas is almost here – so you know it’s time for a visit on this blog from that eternally cheerful character with the red stocking cap who always works hard to make your holidays bright.

No, I don’t mean Santa Claus. I’m talking about our pal Reddy Kilowatt! He hasn’t shown up on my blog since last Christmas, so it’s about time he dropped by.

First up is an Ohio Edison ad that ran in the Lorain Journal on December 10, 1965. In it, Reddy offers some tips on how to decorate your house for the holidays using lots of electricity.
Reddy’s message must have been effective, because in the 1960s I remember just about every house on E. Skyline Drive and the adjacent streets had the large bulb Christmas lights strung along the roofline. It  was really a cheery sight to see if you were out and about in the evening. (I commend all fathers back then for making putting up the lights a priority.)

The other Reddy ad ran in the Lorain Journal on December 24, 1946. The ad has a strange shape; it definitely has that cobbled-together-at-the-last-minute look. But the Reddy Kilowatt illustration is great, and reminds us that electric utility employees have to work in all kinds of terrible conditions to restore power during a winter storm.

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