The Snowman Species

Source: Letterology Archives

Snowmen are on the march with increasing frequency these days—protesting polluters and demanding we change our wasteful ways.

Source: Darling & Co. via Vintage Cottage Home

This isn't the only thing which threatens their endangerment however. The affable snowman also has a long history of character assassination and trademark infringement. In an advertisement by Esso oil in the 1960s, the snowman was rebranded as their mascot, Happy, the oil droplet. Oh the irony.

Source: Xray Delta One Flickrstream via Grand Prix

Source: Atomic Western

In the mid-40s, he had to suffer the indignities of pimping for Thermo anti-freeze.

Source: MadsLucky13

And he's been deflated with a name of "Snowman Sam", and stuffed into plastic bags for longer shelf-life. 

Source: Froggyboggler

 Frosty has even been put into the deep freeze for preservation.

Source: Letterology Archives

Ten years ago now, I took up my own personal crusade to save the endangered snowman. In a bid to wipe out global warming, I designed and silkscreen-printed a couple hundred of these typographically-illustrated pop-up snowman sponges. Instructions were simple: Just add water.

To package the sponge, I also silkscreened the glassine envelopes, and penned a couple of 5-line stanzas to accompany my holiday mailer.

 

Got to love and protect the snowman.