Why Were Car Antenna Toppers Created?
Car antenna toppers were all the rage back in the good old days. If you are over the age of 30, then you have probably seen one of these funny-looking balls installed on a car’s antenna. Although their popularity has declined, antenna toppers are still used today by car owners, especially those who’ve got a set of vintage wheels.
But have you ever wondered why and how this goofy car decoration became such a huge thing? The rise and fall of the antenna toppers is an interesting story. We’ll tell you why car antenna toppers were created, what benefits they aimed to provide and why you should have one on your car as well.
The Origins of Car Antenna Toppers
The antenna topper we have all come to love so much was initially designed for advertisement. Union 76 created a new signature style for their gas stations consisting of an orange ball with the number 76 written on it in blue color. The ball used to rotate, making it very eye-catching, and soon, everyone became familiar with the sign.
Once the sign had become super recognizable, the gas station chain distributed millions of polystyrene balls designed to look like the Union 76 sign along the west coast. These plastic balls would go on to become antenna toppers, thanks to their easy installation. They provided a great way for drivers to customize their vehicle while also providing Union 76 with free mobile advertisement.
The Popularity of Car Antenna Toppers
With the rise of the Union 76 antenna toppers, this car decoration item started to be manufactured like crazy in all shapes and designs. People now had a virtually unlimited amount of options available to pick from to make their cars stand out from the crowd. This trend went on to remain extremely popular from the 1960s to the 1980s.
After that, antenna toppers declined in popularity only to make a comeback in the 1990s when the famous fast food chain Jack in the Box started to sell their very own clown-faced version. This was, however, the last time antenna toppers were so widely used as their popularity has continued to decline since. Now they are mostly used in classic car cruises or vintage cars.
Benefits of Car Antenna Toppers
1. Antenna stability
Car antennas, at least the thin ones on the older cars, used to bob a lot when driving. This can be distracting for the driver, or the bobbing can cause noise. By weighing down the antenna with a topper, its movement is minimized. This provides more stability to the antenna.
2. Advertisement
Antenna toppers, as was shown by Union 76 and Jack in the Box, can be a very effective way to market your business. By giving out or selling toppers with your brand or logo on them, you get a mobile advertisement space on your customer’s cars. This can potentially help attract attention to your business.
3. Aesthetics
The biggest benefit of antenna toppers is their aesthetic feel. Not only do they feel nostalgic, but they also allow you to customize your car to your liking. You can easily find antenna toppers of different colors, shapes, sizes and designs to adorn your car.
Final Thoughts
Even though antenna toppers are now a thing of the past, they are still an important part of the automobile industry’s history. They set off a revolution in vehicle customization, which brought more power to the consumer by introducing new ways to make their car look unique. Antenna toppers are a less permanent way of bringing your very own personal touch to your vehicle compared to other options such as painting your car a unique color or installing fancy lights everywhere.