‘Oldest man in the world’ — H. & H. Blend column, 2 Mar 1916

This 2 March 1916 San Antonio Express placement leads with a barnstormer headline about the “oldest man in the world” drinking a quart of coffee nightly, then quotes the Kansas City Journal on Thomas Morris of Westerville, Neb., age 121 as of 15 January 1915. The copy pivots to H. & H. BLEND as harmless enough to drink freely, suggests breakfast cups “piping hot,” and knocks “so-called coffee substitutes.” The one-pound tin artwork matches the can-only policy stressed at the end. It is period puffery, but it pins down pack sizes and the “Cream of the Crop” line the company used in retail.

ONE POUND
H & H
BLEND
COFFEE

The Oldest Man in the World
Uses One Quart of Coffee
Nightly…..

Thomas Morris, said to be the oldest man in the world, celebrated his one hundred and twenty-first birthday January 15, 1915, at his home near Westerville, Mo. He is in excellent health, and his only habits are: Smoking constantly and getting up in the middle of the night and drinking a quart of strong, cold coffee.—From Kansas City Journal, Jan. 16.

This old gentleman must be using a Coffee similar to our “H. & H. BLEND” as it will hurt no one. Why not drink all you want and live to a happy old age like Mr. Morris?

We don’t particularly advise getting up in the night to drink it, but a cup or two “piping” hot for breakfast will make you doubly fit for the day’s duties. Don’t fool your stomach with the so-called coffee substitute, but use “H. & H. BLEND,” the “Cream of the Crop,” sold by all grocers in one, two and three-pound cans; never in bulk.

Hoffmann-Hayman
Coffee Co.
SAN ANTONIO

Source

• San Antonio Express (San Antonio, Tex.), 2 March 1916. Project scan: 1916 Mar 2 San Antonio Express H and H ADV.jpg in the Newspaper Clippings gallery.