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Polished Branding & Communications
~ THE SHOE POLISH STORY ~ Once upon a time there was a brand of shoe polish called Shinola. The brand was very popular in the U.S. during the early to mid 1900s and enjoyed the shine of success. A phrase coined during World War II, ‘You don’t know sh*t from Shinola’, immortalised the brand’s name in colloquial English. Alternative phrases to describe someone of poor judgment or knowledge, such as ‘You don’t know crap from Crisco’, waxed and waned. Nevertheless, sh*t and Shinola stuck. Flushed with sales, Shinola was on a roll. But the days of good shoe polishing people calling its name were numbered. By the end of the war, the well-worn phrase was tragically cut short to ‘You don’t know sh*t’. And to add insult to injury, Shinola became the number one euphemism for a number two. In the end, sales of the once-popular shoe polish dried up. Why? Because Shinola didn’t know sh*t from itself. Through years of abuse and neglect the brand became tarnished and its loyal customers no longer saw themselves reflected in its little black tin. If only Shinola had found someone with the gumption to help restore its lustre. ~ If you’re looking for a quick, brilliant, professional polish for a product, service or organisation, give Sheldon a try. He’s been helping corporate, government and B2B brands put their best foot forward for over 20 years – providing perceptive graphic design, photography and video services that help them stand out, connect and prosper.
655a Darling Street, Rozelle nsw 2039 Australia E sheldon@sheldondavies.com T +61 401 672 112