Potions, Powders and PILLS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:
Lindsey Ringo, Outreach Coordinator
(555) 555-5555
education@acmehistory.org

Location: Acme County History Center
Event Date: September 27 @ 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Admission: $7/adults, Free for ACHS Members.

“Potions, Powders and Pills” is a presentation at the Acme County History Center that brings to life the real-world perspective of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. In this program, Wile E. Coyote shares his experience with various potions, powders, and pills developed by the Acme Corporation throughout history. Attendees will learn about different products created and used by Acme, understanding which ones worked, which ones failed, and the reasons behind their success or failure. The presentation explores why characters like Wile E. placed their trust in these products for their schemes, drawing parallels to historical uses of patent medicines and folk remedies. It also compares these past beliefs and marketing claims with modern scientific views. The program includes firsthand accounts and demonstrations from Wile E.’s perspective, explains the real versus imagined effects of these items, and discusses the role of hope, desperation, and misinformation in how "miracle" remedies were used by villains and others. This event offers a look at the science, history, and stories behind Acme’s famous potions and pills through the eyes of one of its most determined users.

About the Acme County Historical Society

The Acme County Historical Society is a nonprofit educational and cultural institution established in 1943. ACHS collects, preserves and tells the story of Acme County's past and in particular that of the Acme Corporation, the county's largest (and only) employer, through museum exhibits, libraries and collections, historic sites, educational programs and publishing.

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Acme Product cases

This museum display shows different products made by the ACME Company, reflecting popular and fun items from the early 1900s. It includes ACME Itching Powder, known for causing itching or surprise reactions, showing playful marketing of the time. ACME Large Pills are easy-to-swallow and made for convenience. ACME Bird Seed helps pet birds stay healthy and have nice feathers. ACME Rubber Bands are strong and stretchy, good for many uses at home or work. Lastly, ACME Elephant Pills were sold as a powerful medicine to make you stronger. These items show how ACME combined practical, fun, and creative ideas to attract buyers long ago.

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Acme Earthquake Pills

Marketed as an imaginative product by the ACME Company, the label promotes pills as a revolutionary solution promising to put the power of the earth in the user’s hands, enabling them to "create your own excitement anytime, anywhere." These pills purportedly unleash controlled vibrations that mimic real earthquakes, making them suitable for pranks, demonstrations, or adding excitement to events. The bottle and its label offer insight into how companies used creative promotional language to captivate audiences and invite them to "experience the earth-shaking fun" in a compact, convenient form.

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