PARABENS

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Graphic advertisement framed by a red hexagon resembling a chemical structure diagram promoting parabens as a preservative ingredient.

[transcription]

Fifty years of proven use.
Your number one choice as a preservative.

Tired of late shipments, poor service and high prices?

Rest easy.
It’s NAPP time.

Napp Chemicals Inc.
Lodi, New Jersey 07644

[additional notes] - Violet Webber

This ad relies entirely on visual reference to chemical structure rather than laboratory imagery or product applications. The red hexagonal border resembles a benzene ring, which would likely be unnoticiable to end users of the products. It took me some research before I could appreciate the graphic included in the ad.

Instead of demonstrating performance through technical data, the ad emphasizes longevity and reliability, emphasizing “fifty years of proven use.” Interestingly, the ad does not focus on the chemistry at all but rather business logistics. 

The phrase “It’s NAPP time” also introduces humor and wordplay that is pretty uncommon in many trade advertisements. The pun reframes industrial purchasing decisions as relief or rest, implying that choosing this supplier removes uncertainty and labor from procurement processes.

Napp Chemicals Inc. has had a number of names over its company history, including  B. L. Lemke & Co. (“Lemke”), Purdue Services, Inc, and finally Purdue Pharma Technologies, Inc. (“Purdue”) as of 2003. 

Parabens are a group of widely used synthetic preservatives added to cosmetics, foods, and pharmaceuticals since the 1920s to prevent mold and bacterial growth, thereby extending shelf life.

• http://www.napptech.com/index_prods_servs.htm

• https://legacy-assets.eenews.net/open_files/assets/2018/09/10/document_pm_04.pdf

• https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/parabens-cosmetics