For over 50 years the Osborne bull has graced the Spanish roads and countryside and has become more than just a simple advertising campaign. Today the famous bull is regarded as the unofficial national symbol of Spain. But what is the story behind it?
The original OSborne Bull
It all came about in 1956 when the famous Spanish bodega Osborne ran an advertising campaign to promote their famous Brandy de Jerez, Veterano. They choose the silhouette of a bull however striving for something more dynamic they decided to make the panel in the shape of the bull instead of just using an ordinary panel with a picture of the new logo.
The first bulls were made of wood and were only about four feet high. They were usually black with the brand “Veterano” written in either red or white, though there were some that were a bit more distinctive; some had white horns and others brandy glass-like eyes. By late 1959 there were 16 bulls located around Spain and by 1962 the amount rose to 500 bulls around the country.
Today´s Osborne Bull
In 1994 a new law was passed prohibiting such advertising and the bulls were to be removed completely. However after considerable resistance from the public the Court eventually allowed some of the signs to remain as they agreed that they had become of cultural significance. Nevertheless a new law was passed stating that publicity had to be at least 150 meters from a road in order to not disturb traffic or become a hazard. The results are the bulls that we see today, approximately 12 meters in height, weighing over 4000kg and have a total area of 150 m2.
Today there are 89 examples of the Osborne bull located around the country but only two have the world “Osborne” written on them. One is located by the airport of Jerez de la Frontera and the other in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz, where the Osborne headquarters are located. The region with the most Osborne bulls is Andalusia with a total of 23 bulls dominating the Spanish landscape.
The unofficial national symbol of Spain.
Thanks for an interesting insight but your article falls a bit short in that it doesn’t show how bureaucratic objection only served to strengthen Osbourne brand.
The enforcement to rename the brand name and the distance order has resulted in the unofficial symbol of Spain to be Osbourne sherry and Brandy. A marketing manger could not have prayed for a better result. Was it accidental or contrived? Is there any other brand in the world that can replicate Osbourne in term of its iconic branding by default? Where next will it appear? Leicester Square? LORDFS Cricket Ground, The Lake District……? Marketing genius or accidental hero brand?