Wendell Sammet – A Life Dedicated to the Poodle Part 3
From the CC Vault:
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By Amy Fernandez
An established brand name speaks for itself. Nabisco, Gillette, Ivory, the reasons are pretty clear. Soap, cookies, razors–a dime a dozen. But if you want the really good stuff, you automatically seek that brand name reassurance. For instance, a recent marketing survey revealed that companies owning the leading brand in 19 of 22 broad categories have held their top ranking position for a century.
That kind of self-perpetuating credibility raises the bar for that entire industry. Likewise, it doesn’t come easy. We’re all cynics these days. No amount of advertising is gonna convince you that a cigarette “Is just what the doctor ordered.” But getting to the topic at hand, forging a bloodline capable of producing generations of superstars requires two things, innate talent and infinite dedication.
So what comes to mind with Poodles? Perhaps they’re no longer America’s favorite breed, but they reigned supreme from 1959 to 1983 and never dipped too far down the list since that time. It’s hard to think of another bloodline that’s managed to dominate such a chunk of time and territory. Alekai, established in 1959 by Mrs. Henry Kaiser, has remained true to its ideals with Wendell Sammet at the helm. For any breed, that kind of record qualifies as truly phenomenal. It’s even more amazing when considered in context.
The 1950s was a particularly interesting era for Poodles. The breed was just entering its arc from total obscurity to show ring supremacy. It had emerged from World War II with a new image thanks to a particularly odd convergence of events. All this was heating up when Alekai arrived on the scene. Although it was Wendell’s lifetime opportunity, it also presented very unique challenges. And from the outset, both Wendell and Ale Kaiser agreed that this wasn’t simply about winners; they had bigger goals in mind.
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Posted by AnthonyA
on Nov 24 2023. Filed under Current Articles, Featured.
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