ABSTRACT
Developed for Miles Laboratories of Elkhart, Indiana, in 1928, Alka-Seltzer was known for “effervescent” tablets that emitted bubbles of gas while dissolving in water, creating a pleasing remedy consisting of buffered aspirin and antacid. Hub Beardsley, then company president, envisioned Alka-Seltzer as a medicine for various ailments, from headaches and stomach problems to colds and flu. The claim that Alka-Seltzer could treat concurrent symptoms helped to establish its success. However, the product would later be plagued by the legal implications of this very claim, as well as by product safety concerns. Throughout its period of popularity, Alka-Seltzer pitted itself against both headache and antacid competitors and succeeded in becoming a leader in both categories. Its greatest legacy, however, is some of the most memorable and humorous advertising of the 20th century.
