The man who illustrated the modern Santa.

We’ve all heard the story of how Coca Cola invented the modern image of Santa Claus for their Christmas advertisements. But do you know anything about the creative and talented man behind those images that define Christmas for many of us and became ingrained in the culture. 

Before the 1930s Santa was a character vaguely defined and open to various visual interpretations. From small elfin characters to huntsman-like beings covered head to toe in animal fur clothing.

Then in 1931 the Coca Cola Company began placing ads in popular magazines. Ad-man, Archie Lee, in charge of the Coke account from D’Arcy Ad. agency wanted a wholesome and realistic yet symbolic Santa image to spear-head a new campaign season. So they commissioned an illustrator, Haddon Sundblom. Michigan born from Swedish immigrant parents. 

Haddon’s approach was to create a real man not someone in costume or a mythical elfin creature. Much of his conceptualising was grounded in the legend of St Nicholas and more particularly the Moore poem of 1822 commonly known by it’s opening words “T’was the night before Christmas”.

At the start Haddon used his friend Lou Prentiss as the live model for Santa. But after Lou’s passing Haddon used himself and his mirror image as his guide. Eventually this mirror reflection technique brought comment from ardent Coke/Santa watchers writing to the company stating they had noticed Santa’s big shiny belt buckle was drawn the wrong way around.

Sundblom continued to illustrate new Christmas scenes for his famous Santa character until 1964. Like Norman Rockwell, Sundblom’s work was to have a major influence on many other commercial artists also known as pin-up artists of his times. Haddon is also the creator of the coloured version head & shoulders portrait of the Quaker Oats man seen on Quaker Oatmeal packaging. 

I don’t think I can name another commercial illustrator who has had a bigger impact on our culture than Haddon Sundblom. His image of Santa has endured and gone global, becoming the foundations for all other illustrators to follow. His image of a portly, jolly, grandfatherly Santa has delighted children all over the world for decades and created the most loved adornment of our Christmas culture.