When it rains, it pours!

When it rains, it pours!

The Morton Umbrella Girl has been an enduring icon since she first appeared on Morton's table salt packaging in 1914. The idea for the little girl and her slogan, "When it Rains, it Pours," was the result of Morton's first advertising campaign in 1911. The agency (Name ???) was charged with creating a series of ads to run in Good Housekeeping magazine. One of the concepts presented to Morton was an image of a little girl holding an umbrella in one hand to ward off falling rain and in the other hand, a package of salt that was tilted back with the spout open and salt running out. Morton loved the picture that expressed the message - that salt would run in damp weather. But they felt the copy that went with it - ("Even in rainy weather, it flows freely") was too long. It needed to be shorter and snappier. More suggestions included "Flows Freely," "Runs Freely" "Pours" and finally, an old proverb, "It never rains, but it pours." The adage was vetoed as being too negative, and a more positive spin on it resulted in the now famous slogan, "When it Rains It Pours."

Advertiser: Morton Salt

Ad agency:

Year: 1911