In the world of design and alcoholic drinksThere are some very funny and curious stories. One of them involves the design of the Anís del Mono label. A story that combines science, controversy and marketing to give us a sign of identity in one of the most iconic drinks in Spain. Anís del Mono, its label and the curious details behind its origin.
This article explores the relationship between the Anís del Mono label and a fundamental piece of modern science: The Origin of Species. Charles Darwin's book is more than 6 decades old since its original publication and marked a before and after in the discussion about the origins of humanity.
The Anís del Mono label, the evolutionists and the creationists
La label on a bottle of anise Darwin's theory once again brought to light the conflict between the wise and the religious people of the time. In short, Darwin's theory states that men descend from a species of large apes. Such an assertion led to a furious struggle with the creationists, those who only accept human existence according to what the Bible says. In Genesis 1:27 it is written: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."
The dilemma proposed by Darwin aroused the most tremendous passions and a period of knowledge and conflict began within the very heart of human conception. Cartoonists began to use Darwin's figure for jokes. He was described as a false centaur, half monkey, half man. Between 1880 and 1882 these caricatures joking about Darwin appeared in very prestigious magazines of the time. Punch, Vanity Fair, Hornet Magazine and La Petite Lune are some where these comic strips and satirical drawings can be traced.
Jokes worldwide
Advertisers from different countries around the world began to echo the drawings as a joke, and representations appeared to sell all kinds of products. From shoe polish to different syrups to treat sore throats, stomach aches or headaches, among others.
In Spanish territory, which was very Catholic, Darwin's work was first banned and later published in a completely mutilated, incomplete version, with complete fragments censored.
In Badalona, Spain, in 1870, two brothers made history with the label for their Anís del Mono. They were Bosch and Grau, creators of a drink that is today a leader in its segment. It is a drink that can be obtained in two versions. Green label, dry; and red label, sweet.
How did we get the name and label Anís del Mono?
According to the story, the name of Anís del Mono It comes from a monkey that lived in the original factory. Bosch brought the monkey from Brazil to its home in Spain. When creating the anise label, the conflicts and fights that the writer caused were remembered. That is why it is such an interesting and significant piece for the sector.
Bosch commissioned a cartoonist to create a piece alluding to the conflict, and the man created a humanoid holding a bottle of aniseed. Sitting on a jetty, he proclaimed that “It is the best. Science said so and I am not lying.”
The supporters of Darwin's theory They claimed that the monkey resembled the biologist's face, and since the Bosch brothers were very religious, they used satire. They wanted to ridicule the father of evolution as a theory, and boy did they succeed.
A design that became famous
The drawing that would become part of the Anís del Mono label first won a poster competition. The design belonged to an artist called Ramón Casas. Then, in 1913, the Anís del Mono label became the first illuminated advertising poster. It was located in Puerta del Sol, and a few months later there was another one in Plaza de Cataluña.
La bottle shape It was a copy of a perfume bottle. Vicente Bosch bought it in Paris for his wife, and paid the perfumer the rights to use the model. In 1902 he registered it, and by then the current figure and an unmistakable face of Darwin were already there.
Other versions
In 1914 the precursor of the cubism Juan Gris designed it, and in the film The Godfather they drink Anís del Mono while having a pasta feast. From 2012 onwards, both the monkey and his unmistakable face are the face of the seafront in Badalona. However, there are other stories.
In 1925, in the American town of Dayton, Tennessee, a professor of biology, algebra, physics and chemistry revolutionized the small town of 2000 inhabitants. John Thomas Scopes used a blackboard and showed the famous evolutionary slide. From the first small ape to contemporary humans.
Scopes did not know that he was violating the Butler Act, which states that “Any theory which denies the history of the Divine Creation of Man shall be unlawful in any educational establishment in Tennessee.” The bitter battle between the school and the teacher involved the community and became very intense.
The religious fanatic lawyer was William Jannings Bryan. Three times a presidential candidate, Bryan targeted Scopes and his duo with defense attorney Clarence Darrow. Although Bryan won, Scopes' fine was just $100 and was never paid.
There are two film versions of this story, both with the same title: You will inherit the wind. These curiosities about design, advertising and brand image are highly recommended to understand how the formation and creation of identity progresses. Anís del Mono and its label, regardless of whether it is sweet or dry, is a drink that has transcended time. An excellent option to learn more about the industry, marketing strategies and the creation of an identity. Excellent story that also contains details and appreciations that speak of sincerity and a latent conflict that also manifests itself externally.