Newman’s Own Paul Newman

Celebrity faces fill the shelves of the grocery isles. Shoppers find the faces of pop culture icons on items from candy to toothpaste. There is Hanna Montana Concert Candy, Brittany pops, and Scooby snacks. But no name or face is more recognizable than Paul Newman on his Newman’s Own brand label products.

From Salad dressing to potato chips, Newman’s Own is known for its high quality products and a independent business style.

Where another man, rich off their hard work, might aspire to further their own wealth, Paul made a decision to give all company profits, post tax, to charity. He proved the object of a corporation is to provide a better life for your community. He achieved his goal, as McDonalds scrambled to use Newman’s Own products to improve their McImage. A profound statement when it has been said “if Iraq had a McDonalds, Hussein would have been an O.K guy, Fox News would have enlarged the Iran angle, and we would be in a far different war.”

When the Godfather of corporate labels meets you on bent knee, you know you are doing something right. Paul started with a home made recipe for salad dressing, hand bottled in old wine bottles. In a quest to get his dressing to every dinner table, Newman’s Own faced a tower of preservative red tape. The journey for organics on the grocery shelf, land slid into one of the biggest non profit organizations in the country.  Today, Newman’s Own has given over 250 million dollars to charity and has a business model Carl Marx would have been proud of.

Newman was a Capitalist who knew the keystone of any business is the owner’s ability to take care of his customers. He knew how to take care of his customers. Newman’s Own line of products are outsourced, which creates jobs. On the back end, Newman gave away all his profit to strength the country. He offered quality products and laid the foundation for the future success of America. While this is a simplified overview, we can see how product loyalty to Newman’s Own will strengthen our country. Like War Bonds in the 30’s and 40’s, when you buy Newman’s own, the profit goes back into America. Their competitors can’t compete with their own lack of social benefits.

Paul died last month after a bout with cancer. His brand label products live on to be a tribute to one of the greatest Americans to have ever lived. If Paul was richer at a younger age, he would be Batman. He would not play Batman in a movie, but be a crime fighter for truth and justice. Complete with a secret cave under his Connecticut cottage and 100 foot replica of a penny. For his selfless philanthropy, for his role in “Cool Hand Luke”, for his picture in your pantry, Paul Newman is an American You Should Know.