Over the past 80 years, Harry & David has grown and evolved as a company and as a brand. Along the way, we’ve changed how we present ourselves, being careful to remain contemporary in the ever-growing market and to satisfy our customers, all while keeping many traditional elements that we feel are woven into our identity.

 

1959 Book of Christmas Gifts Cover
Cover from the 1959 Book of Christmas Gifts

The above image is from one of our catalogs in 1959. As you can see, the image is true vintage art of the style popular through the late 1950s. The art focused on two primary properties: creating an identity and being adorable.

Christmas 2014 Cover
Cover from the Christmas 2014 Catalog

Compare the 1959 image to that on the cover of our “Christmas 2014” catalog. This image represents a change in the way our customers have shopped over the years; it has a sophisticated and elegant style, and its emphasis is primarily on the quality of the product. The texture and design of the truffles are the focus of the image, while the overall artistry in the photo is represented in the layout and the image quality itself rather than illustration as it was in the past. However, note the tower in the background and the sliced pears in the middle. These two cover elements again represent parts of the Harry & David identity: the pears for which we’ve become so well known and our commitment to the spirit of giving.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t take this opportunity to highlight our old friend “Cubby,” the Harry & David bear mascot from 1937 to 1972. Featured in various catalogs during this time, his cap identified Bear Creek, a name by which our company has been known (which was also a callout to the beautiful valley where our pears grew and many of our products were—and still are—created). The packaging, reading “Fruit of the Month Club,” represented one of our most enduring gifts—so well recognized that a simple parcel with a title and envelope was enough to identify what was inside.

Cubby, the Harry & David bear mascot for nearly 40 years
Cubby, the Harry & David bear mascot from 1937 to 1972
We love going back through our old archives and finding interesting bits of information, seeing vintage artwork, and examining how we’ve changed, for our own sake and for the interest of our customers. Is there anything you’d like to see from the long history of Harry & David? Let us know in the comments below.
Author

At Harry & David, we deliver expertly crafted delight.

14 Comments

  1. Avatar photo
    Anita Jo David Reply

    Please send me a catalogue. I would like to order Christmas presents. Thank you.

  2. Avatar photo
    janie wigley Reply

    I still have my Cubby bear plush toy. he has a few patches of fit missing but he is 63 years old.

    • HD-author-avatar

      Amber, we’ve sent you an email asking for more information. Once we have your address, we’ll send you a catalog. We look forward to hearing from you!

  3. Avatar photo
    Barbara Bollheimer Reply

    Please send me a mail order catalog! I tried some of your onion pepper relish at a party
    yesterday with cream cheese and it was delicious.
    Want to order some.

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