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Specs
Year: 1967/1968
Title: AAMCO Postcards
Size: 6″ by 9″
Number in Set: 4
Overview
AAMCO was one of the first advertisers to use famous people in its TV commercials. Zsa Zsa Gabor was first but was followed by athletes like Wilt Chamberlain and Johnny Unitas. And AAMCO advertising was developed through a partnership with a franchise committee focused on the creative process, so I presume these postcards were an offshoot of the TV commercials/licensing deals with the athletes.
Over two years, AAMCO developed postcards for Wilt Chamberlain, Johnny Unitas, and Roger Maris.
The two postcards featuring Wilt Chamberlain in his Philadelphia 76ers uniform form a great image of Wilt when presented together. The front text reads, “You always score with AAMCO!”
The back of the postcards share an advertising message targeted toward retailers, not their customers. I like how the second postcard says “WILT CHAMBERLAIN, Basketball Ace. More than 100 points in one game.” at the top.
The Roger Maris postcard is commonly dated to 1968 and features a color pose of him on the front and the quote, “It’s a real pennant winner!”
The baseball fun fact on the back of the postcard says, “ROGER MARIS, Home Run King: 61 homers in one season.”
The third athlete featured on an AAMCO postcard is football great Johnny Unitas. The front of the postcard features Unitas in a posed action shot and the quote, “Let me pass extra profits to you.” This is the only postcard to feature the athlete’s name on the front.
The back of the Unitas postcards says, “JOHNNY UNITAS – Star Quarterback, Baltimore Colts.”
AAMCO must have also struck licensing deals with these athletes for other advertising formats since Unitas can be seen in a newspaper ad too.
Examples
All four postcards are pictured above.
Key Cards
The cards all fetch similar prices, over $100 each.
Checklist
Wilt Chamberlain (Top)
Wilt Chamberlain (Bottom)
Roger Maris
Johnny Unitas