Whats Rare Fall Colophon 2015

What’s rare, fall colophon 2015

                                  By prissy brown

You think you have covered about everything you can find, rare national biscuit company,  but, as all of you know, we have not scratched the surface yet. This issue is no exception, the piece I am talking about, has almost faded into a distant memory. Let me try and rekindle each of your memories, because we had not thought about this piece being in existence. How many still are in the old bakeries?  Could there be some others waiting to be found? Do you know where one is still located? If you do, let us know, we would love the information, now a little information about what National Biscuit Company called the “Suggestion box.

     The year was 1946, the war had just ended & the national biscuit company was cementing their place in history, of having the absolute best products made, the best advertising this nation had ever seen, the most modern bakeries in existence, some working 24 hours a day trying to keep up with the demand. Nabisco people were the absolute best in the country, dedicated, hard workers & proud to be a part of the Nabisco family. But something was missing, although N.b.c. had all the above, they knew their employees could suggest ways to “make it better”, improvements in packaging, work habits & ways to save money. So national biscuit decided to tap these amazing employees knowledge & expertise, Thus the “national biscuit company  think & suggest campaign”.

            What’s rare, fall colophon 2015

                                          By prissy brown

     So on November 29^th 1946 the think & suggest campaign was founded, but not implemented. No, national biscuit company needed a few more months to work out the details & they did just that. They needed a way for all employees to send in their suggestions & ideas, safe from other employees to see, so the employees knew their suggestions would be seen only by the n.b.c. people who chose the winners.

     In  January 1947 the “think & suggest” campaign was officially launched by Nabisco coast to coast, for every Nabisco employee to use.  Every bakery, branch & location Nabisco had, was made aware of this neat new idea, a way for all the employees, send in their ideas about their company, on how to “make it better”. Forms were made available, pencils furnished, posters & brochures sent out, envelopes made available, all for one purpose  to “think & suggest”. Winners, chosen by Nabisco management would receive checks for their ideas if chosen. Every single suggestion was treated like the “only one” each given hands on reviews, “every single one”

     At first the minimum award  was $7.50 maximum was $2500.00, not bad for 1947 a year before nabisco’s  golden anniversary. This award amount was not changed until 1956 when the award amounts changed minimum $10.00 to maximum $3000.00. finally in 1964 it changed again to 15% of tangible savings, maximum award $5000.00 .

 

       What’s rare, fall colophon 2015

                                   By prissy brown

     By the 25^th anniversary of the “think & suggest” campaign, in 1972, 169,221 suggestions had been made, 27,740 suggestions had been adopted & $588,490.00 had been awarded, wow, what a company, did they love their employees, yes they did, but, we all knew that.

      Now, for the reason ofall the  above. Where were all these suggestions & ideas put, not all were mailed, although a lot were mailed. In a lot of Nabisco locations they had a suggestion box, complete with envelopes & forms to “think & suggest” and place in the slot for security, only being opened by management with a key, all had a padlock attached. Charlie worked for almost 31 years with Nabisco neither of us ever saw or knew about these beautiful boxes & if not for Jeanne & dan lewter’s visit, we would have not known about this beauty. Now we do & now each of you do,  shown here is a picture of this wall hanging suggestion box. So mysterious, because of what was put inside, just like a ballot box.

     We know of two of these in existence, although a few may still be attached in the old locations, no longer used, but part of nabisco’s collecting history. If anyone knows where one is still located, please email me & let us know prissyannb@aol.com

   See you in the winter for more “What’s rare”

                   Enjoy your chase, prissy.