Why is only the first letter of the word “Gold” colored red, while the first and last letters in the word “Bond” are colored red? I have no idea why it matters to be, but apparently it does.
In what context, pray?
“No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to dye (the first letter red)”.
To answer the OP, the pattern is consistent not just with “Gold Bond,” but also with “Body Powder,” “Foot Spray,” “Body Lotion,” etc. – the first letter of both words and the last letter of the second (and last) word are in red. I would say it started with the initial letters, and then someone felt it looked better to also color the final letter of the phrase to provide some symmetry. It gives a pleasantly spaced “1-2-3” arrangement of the red letters which would be spoiled if there were two adjacent red letters in the center.
ETA: The point being the red letters are applied on the basis of the phrase as a whole, not on the basis of each individual word.
Note that the red letters are larger than the black letters . . . ok for the “G” and the “B,” not ok for the “D.”
“End caps” remind me of old “WanteD” posters from the wild west. Or “CircuS” posters (Hence the typeface “Barnum.”). Authentically they are top-aligned. I wish designers would exercise a little restraint in their use.
Gold Bond Powder was manufactured in my hometown, Fairhaven, MA, from 1908 until 1985. I have some old tin Gold Bond cans from the 1950s and advertisements that go back earlier. The logo has always set up that way, although the type face was different. The GBD of GOLD BOND and the PR of POWDER are red and are larger. I’m pretty sure that the design goes right back to 1908, but I don’t have items in my collection to prove that.
That is, in what context does it matter?
I’m with Gary T. Symmetry. That’s the first thing I thought when I looked at the picture, before I read his post.
Incidentally, great stuff. When my son was an infant, he never got diaper rash.
I’m sure if you look hard enough you’ll find some conspiracy about how it’s because the original CEO hated black people.