Visual archive
Historical Precursors
Milk-mustache advertising did not begin in 1994. Carnation was printing it by 1957 — thirty-seven years earlier — under the “Magic Crystals” line for Instant Nonfat Dry Milk. The industry was fighting a contamination panic at the time: consumers were avoiding milk over fears that dairy herds had grazed on grass carrying strontium-90 fallout. These cheerful mustaches were made against that backdrop.
10 records · 6 with a recovered image · 4 still missing.
1957
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Boy with milk mustache
Image recovered
1957
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — milk mustache, LIFE magazine
Image recovered
1958
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Milk-Mustache Boy
Image recovered
1958
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Sailor Woman / Red Beret
Image recovered
1958
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Flower Girl
Image recovered
1959
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — John Eimen / Red-Jacket Boy
Image recovered
1959
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Milk-Mustache Girl
Image recovered
1959
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Girl, May 1959
Image recovered
1959
Carnation “Magic Crystals” — Yellow-Background Boy
Image recovered
1960