BunaB
BunaB was the name of a line of purposely useless novelty products, promoted as if they were useful via carefully written marketing hype. They were created by American radio host Al Crowder. Beginning in the 1950s BunaBs were purportedly produced by the firm of Orville K. Snav and Associates and distributed from its headquarters in Snav Towers, Mason City, Iowa. The company's chief product was the Improved No. 7 BunaB, an assembly of two insulated wires, red and blue, held together with neatly applied yellow electrical tape at the ends. BunaBs have been described as examples of primitive conceptual art.
History
In 1951 Al Crowder was a music store employee and radio host at KSMN in Mason City. A cryptic gift of an object resembling a water jug from Crowder's father-in-law to Crowder's son inspired Crowder to write to the manufacturer, the International Latex Corporation, to ask what the object was. The response, received from E.C. Jakoswiak, Assistant to the President, stated that the bladder was a component of a World War II inflatable attack boat. Inspired by the apparently useless object and by the response, Crowder created the Improved BunaB #7, the first of the line. The BunaB"...will meet, or exceed specifications set up by the industry for accuracy, durability and simplicity of operation. No moving parts insures constant stability... With a minimum of practice, results equaling the conventional instrument may be expected."
The instructions continued:
"After prolonged use the BunaB may indicate a variation of one or two percent when checked against a new BunaB. In that case, the old one should be discarded immediately. Satisfaction in positive results will readily offset the slight cost of replacement."
Those who ordered the BunaB #7 received, in addition to their device, a registration card that, when returned to Snav Towers, automatically made the recipient an "Assistant to the President." Shortly afterwards a personal letter from Crowder would arrive, discussing in lengthy detail the difficulties that attended Snav's business empire and personal life. Crowder's use of the Snav name dated to a time in Fort Wayne, Indiana, when he would send a daily envelope to a local radio station that was soliciting letters from listeners.
Crowder was "Chief Assistant to the President" from 1951 to his death in 1981. After he died, his wife Louise carried on as "Dame Minerva P. Snav" and managed the correspondence with the approximately 50,000 Assistants to the President and Key Personnel in the Field from the Hall of Science at Snav Towers.
BunaB product line
Snav produced a number of other BunaB products.- BunaB #2, also known as Zudirk. A board game with unplayable rules. In fact, the rules clearly stated that they were unplayable.
- BunaB #3, the "Man's Between Shave Lotion," an apparently empty plastic bottle, the contents to be reconstituted by the addition of water.
- BunaB #4, a small dial with an adhesive pad that, when attached to a surface, could be moved between "OFF" and "ON."
- BunaB #5, a record to be played while watching television. It was entirely blank. Side 1 was noted to be particularly suitable for "drama, mystery, adventure and afternoon serials" while Side 2 was best for "panel shows, interviews, news, weather and sports." The record could be played at all standard speeds, including LP record|, 45, 78 and the Edison 80 rpm standards with satisfactory results.
- BunaB #6, remarkably similar to the Improved #7 BunaB to the extent of being identical.
- BunaB #7, the company's signature product. About 40,000 BunaB #7s were produced. The BunaB #7 is noted for its durability, ease of use and resistance to obsolescence.