Anyone remember Macs Smile Razor Blades?

TheScribbler · 27-09-2009 10:26pm #1

Macs based in Waterford was a local competitor to Gillette when our paresnts used to buy packs of old safety blades. The company used to run a series of interesting press advertisements that featured the head of a bald man with a beard. When the image was inverted what you saw was a man with a full head of hair but minus a beard. It was clever but to a three year old it was pretty scary!

TheScribbler · 06-10-2009 9:22am

I did raise this topic a little while back to see if anyone remembered Mac's Smile razorblades (the old safety razor blade type pioneered by Gillette). I am keen to get hold of any of the spectacular ads they used to display in the press in the 1950s and early 1960s. These were often quite large at up to a quarter page but they also used newspaper earspaces over the top of headlines.

As the ads always featured a bald man with a stubbly beard that could be inverted to display a man with short hair and clean shaven, it was always amusing to watch people reading newspapers on buses and trains. When they found the Mac's Smile advertisement they would turn the paper upside down to view it. We used to take bets on it as kids coming home from school.

Patches · 20-11-2009 10:47pm

I have been trying to locate a picture of the macsmile image for the past few years and tried dealers in antiques but failed. It can only be located if someone could search the back issues of the national papers. One of my contacts found a man who had worked for macs and he had disposed of all his paperwork about 5 years earlier when he buried it in his garden. I wish you well in your search and would thank you to let me know if you succeed and i will let you know if i find a copy.

TheScribbler · 23-11-2009 3:36pm

Patches wrote: »

I have been trying to locate a picture of the macsmile image for the past few years and tried dealers in antiques but failed. It can only be located if someone could search the back issues of the national papers. One of my contacts found a man who had worked for macs and he had disposed of all his paperwork about 5 years earlier when he buried it in his garden. I wish you well in your search and would thank you to let me know if you succeed and i will let you know if i find a copy.

Thanks for your message. If I get anywhere I will let you know. Do you happen to know anything about the family behind the original company and when it started?

TheScribbler · 08-12-2009 4:24pm

Patches wrote: »

I have been trying to locate a picture of the macsmile image for the past few years and tried dealers in antiques but failed. It can only be located if someone could search the back issues of the national papers. One of my contacts found a man who had worked for macs and he had disposed of all his paperwork about 5 years earlier when he buried it in his garden. I wish you well in your search and would thank you to let me know if you succeed and i will let you know if i find a copy.

Hi Patches

As you will see from the attached, I have provided a copy of the famous Mac's Smile advertisement from the 1950s. Do you happen to know anything else about the company behind the brand, Irish Cutlery Company Ltd out of Ennsicorthy. They closed back in the early 70s.

Regards

Patches · 11-12-2009 11:36pm

Well done Scribbler , delighted to get the image. I will try to get info on the factory in Enniscorthy . I think that 'Viners Cutlery' operated it for a number of years and someone took it over and made cutlery for a number of years until the 90's. I will let you know if i get a contact.