ABSTRACT
Brookfield, Massachusetts – 1932. The story of the world’s greatest bovine advertising mascot, one of the greatest anthropomorphic mascots, and Ad Age’s 10th greatest advertising icon of the twentieth century begins, unbeknownst to the rest of the world. On the quiet, family-owned Elmhill Farm, ‘You’ll do Lobelia’ was born, a jersey heifer and an all round fine specimen of a wholesome cow (Roadside America n.d.). She would not become famous for another seven years, nor would the campaign with which she would become associated start for another four years. Regardless of that, though, the story of this timeless icon (and arguably the most famous cow in history, certainly the most famous cow in the history of advertising) had begun. This chapter tells the salutary tale of Lobelia, or, as she is better known, Elsie the Borden Cow.
