Elsie the Cow became Borden's very popular "Spokescow" in the late 1930s. She was such a hit at the 1939 New York World's Fair, that soon afterwards, the character of Elmer the Bull was created as Elsie's husband.
In the late 1940s, Borden's new Chemical Division asked to use Elsie for its new white glue product. But the thought of Elsie representing a non-food product didn't seem appropriate. As a compromise, Elmer was loaned to Borden Chemical as their very own "spokesbull." To this day, Elmer the Bull still represents the company's adhesives.
Elmer's Glue is white because of the natural reaction of the raw materials used to make the glue. The strength of the glue bond is due to the attachment of the polymer adhesive to the surface of the piece to be glued.
Elmer's glue and adhesive products are trusted and safe, which has made them a favorite in schools. It is estimated that more than 47 million elementary school students use Elmer's Glue on a weekly basis.
They are also incredibly strong! Elmer's Glue was used to build a pasta bridge that supported 2,350 lbs. The bridge, built by a high school student, was the winning entry in a pasta-bridge building contest held in Rhode Island.