Shine, Sir?

A 1965 look at an early advertisement for Kiwi boot polish made during the First World War

A 1916 wartime advert introduced by a Mr W A Thompson in 1965 to illustrate that modern promotional methods have a long history. The original film from 1916 with added piano soundtrack promotes the Australian brand of Kiwi boot polish. Set in a London hotel the manager is desperate when all his ‘boots’ join up. Two little boys apply for the job when an Australian soldier buys them both a tin of Kiwi with spectacular results. Thompson’s claim that it is the world’s oldest film ad is not even close