Campbell celebrates 125 years

This year marks the 125th anniversary of Campbell Soup, and as February is National Soup Month, the soup giant will be doing some celebrating.

Campbell’s Soup will be launching a national promotion in Canada.

Consumers who send in 24 labels from selected products (along with $5 postage and handling) will get a limited edition set of Campbell’s collector mugs.

Certain retailers will also host in-store events, including visits from clowns and the Campbell’s Kids.

Other contests and sweepstakes, as well as point-of-sale advertising, will continue throughout the year.

Started up in 1869 as a food canning business, the company invented condensed soup in 1897.

The familiar red-and-white packaging, developed in 1898 and little changed since, was inspired by the red-and-white uniforms worn by the Cornell University football team of Ithaca, N.Y.