Original Coppertone little girl sign (vintage 1958) getting routine maintenance in 1980 on Parkleigh House, Biscayne Blvd. in Miami

The original plastic, metal and neon Coppertone girl sign was designed and made in 1958 by Tropicalites, a sign company owned by Morris "Moe" Bengis. Before producing the original Coppertone Girl sign, Bengis met with Benjamin Green, who invented the Coppertone product in his kitchen in 1944 and Abe Plough, the founder of Schering-Plough; which bought Coppertone in 1957.

After Schering-Plough bought Coppertone, the original designs were lost in a fire. In 1959 Joyce Ballantyne Brand recreated the now iconic Coppertone Girl artwork with very minor changes using her daughter Cheri as the model.[1][2] As of late 2011,[needs update] the sign has been in need of repair and funding. The owner, MiMo Association said they could not continue paying for insurance and maintenance. Merck, the parent company of Coppertone sunscreen makers Schering-Plough agreed to help and promised to pay US$1800 yearly for insurance and upkeep for the next five years.[3]

Coppertone girl sign is removed from the Concord Building in Miami, Florida on 17 May 2008
Sign at new location at 7300 Biscayne Blvd. in Miami

References

  1. ^ "Joyce B. Brand, Commercial Artist, Dies at 88". New York Times. 18 May 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2008.
  2. ^ Bengis, Jerome. "The Coppertone Girl Comes Home". Dali Art Blog. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2008.
  3. ^ Candido, Sergio. "Merck promises to pay expenses for Coppertone Girl sign". The Miami Herald. Retrieved 13 December 2011.

External links

  1. Tomb, Jeffrey. 6 February 1995. ”COPPERTONE GIRL ON NEW TURF." Miami Herald
  2. Klinkenberg, Jeff. 5 September 2004. "Real Florida: Red-faced with the Coppertone Girl", St. Petersburg Times (2004-09-05). Interview with Joyce Ballantyne Brand
  3. Griffis, Margaret. Mar 2008. “Get That Girl in the Picture.” Biscayne Times
  4. Viglucci, Andres. 17 May 2008. ”DOWNTOWN MIAMI: Iconic Coppertone Girl sign may move to MiMo.” Miami Herald
  5. Griffis, Margaret. Uploaded 14 December 2008. [1]. Flickr.com
  6. Bengis, Jerome. May 2008. “Get the story on the fate of Miami’s 1959 vintage Coppertone sign.” Bengis Fine Art & Appraisal.
  7. TV News Segments. 2008. Coppertone Sign Removal. YouTube.com.
  8. City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board. 7 October 2008. Agenda
  9. Viglucci, Andres. 8 October 2008. ”Two Miami icons designated historic landmarks.” Miami Herald
  10. Tropical Signs. 2008. [2] Bengis Fine Art & Appraisal
  11. Griffis, Margaret. July 2007. "New Life for the Coppertone Girl." Biscayne Times [3]
  12. Griffis, Margaret. December 2008. "Home At Last!." Biscayne Times [4]
  13. American Tropical Signs & Service. 2009. Removal, restoration and installation
Merck & Co., Inc.
Categories