Esky Explained

Esky
Type:Subsidiary
Foundation:[1]
Founder:Francis Malley[2]
Location City:Sydney[3]
Location Country:Australia
Industry:Outdoor recreation
Products:Camping equipment

Esky is a brand of portable coolers, originally Australian, derived from the word "Eskimo". The term "esky" is also commonly used in Australia to generically refer to portable coolers or ice boxes and is part of the Australian vernacular, in place of words like "cooler" or "cooler box" and the New Zealand "chilly bin".

The brand name was purchased by American firm Coleman Company, (a subsidiary of Newell Brands) in 2009.

History

Some historians have credited Malley's with the invention of the portable ice cooler.[4] According to the company, the Esky was "recognised as the first official portable cooler in the world."[5] The company's own figures claim that, by 1960, 500,000 Australian households owned one (in a country of approximately 3 million households at the time).

The brand "Esky" was used from around 1945,[6] for an Australian-made ice chest, a free-standing NaNinches insulated cabinet with two compartments: the upper to carry a standard [7] block of ice, and the lower for food and drinks.[8] It was made in Sydney by Malleys but did not carry their name until around 1949.[9]

The first (metal-cased) portable Esky appeared in 1952,[10] sized to accommodate six 26impoz bottles of beer or soft drink, as advertised nationally.[11] By 1965 "esky" (no capital E) was being used in Australian literature for such coolers, and in 1973 Malleys, owners of the tradename, acknowledged that the term had entered the vernacular and was being used for lightweight plastic imitations.[12] One such brand was Willow, an Australian manufacturer, previously known for domestic "tinware" — buckets, bins, cake tins and oven trays.[13]

Nylex started making the plastic-cased Esky in 1984.[14] In 1993 Nylex Corporation was still defending their ownership of the "Esky" trademark,[15] but by 2002 they had allowed it to lapse.[16]

Outdoor recreation company Coleman Australia bought the Esky brands from Nylex Ltd after the company went into administration in February 2009, and later that year Coleman was producing most of the Esky line in Melbourne.[17] [18] [19] The sale was seen as symptomatic of the decline of Australian-made goods due to cheaper imports.[20]

Construction

Current models are constructed with two layers: polypropylene on the outer shell, with a polyurethane inner layer. This makes it lightweight and portable with excellent insulation. The original Esky had a lightweight galvanized iron outer shell and lining,[21] and used cork compound insulation.[22] Later models had a plastic inner and polystyrene foam insulation.Later coolers have been moulded entirely from polystyrene foam. They are lightweight and inexpensive, but are easily damaged or destroyed.[23]

The lightweight construction makes most eskies float in water, and they have been recommended by safety specialists to be used as an improvised lifebuoy, if more specialised equipment is not available.[24] Numerous people have been saved after using either the whole esky or the esky lid as flotation devices after boating accidents.[25] [26] [27]

Generic use

In Australia, the 'esky' name has become, or as a legal matter nearly has become, genericised: the popularity of the product has led to the use of its name to refer to any cooler box, regardless of the brand. Many dictionaries, including the Australian National Dictionary and the Macquarie Dictionary, now include definitions in their publications defining it as such.[28] However, the use of the Esky trademark must be approved by the brand owner to avoid any liability.

Government agencies and media outlets in Australia have used the term in preference to generic alternatives.

In Australian culture

The esky has played a unique role in Australian culture, especially with regard to outdoor activities, camping, and sporting events, and for reasons of novelty.[29] In particular, the design and use of the esky has evolved through its relationship with Australia's drinking culture. The first portable Esky was designed to carry six "standard" 26 fluid ounce (740ml) bottles as well as a triple level food section.[30] Malley's Esky was created as a tool for camping and caravanning holidays and was called the Esky Auto Box, encouraged by the post-war popularity of the private motor vehicle.[4] The esky became an essential part of the beach, outdoor dining and barbecue culture that developed in Australia during the 60s and 70s.[4] [31] Due to their portability and extensive use outdoors, an esky can also double as makeshift cricket stumps, with some companies making hybrid products that include retractable stumps (among other useful features such as a bottle opener).[32] [33]

Though not unique to Australia, Australian media have widely reported on a number of high-profile incidents involving motorised eskies fitted with small motors and wheels. Police have impounded offending vehicles and have issued fines to those operating them on public property.[34] [35]

Spectators at the closing ceremony at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney each received a promotional pack of a small polystyrene Esky containing other items of memorabilia.[36]

In another uniquely Australian piece of culture, poly-foam bodyboards used in the surf are often referred to by the slang term, "Esky-lid”, or “shark biscuit”.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.esky.com.au/about-us.html
  2. https://www.esky.com.au/about-us.html
  3. https://www.esky.com.au/about-us.html
  4. Book: Santich. Barbara. Bold Palates: Australia's Gastronomic Heritage. 2012. Wakefield Press. 9781743050941.
  5. Mountney. Jason. History of the Esky – a cool Aussie icon. Reader's Digest. 2011. Handyman December/January 2011. 10 March 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402094352/http://www.readersdigest.com.au/History%20of%20the%20Esky%20-%20a%20cool%20Aussie%20icon. 2 April 2015. dead.
  6. News: Advertising . . 21,303 . New South Wales, Australia . 13 January 1945 . 4 February 2023 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: 1/1 Ice Blocks Should Weigh At Least 23lb . . 20,505 . Victoria, Australia . 3 February 1943 . 4 February 2023 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  8. News: Advertising . . 8777 . New South Wales, Australia . 14 February 1946 . 4 February 2023 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  9. News: Advertising . . New South Wales, Australia . 22 August 1949 . 4 February 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  10. News: Advertising . . New South Wales, Australia . 24 December 1952 . 4 February 2023 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: For every purse... . . 24 . 25 . Australia, Australia . 21 November 1956 . 4 February 2023 . 72 . National Library of Australia.
  12. Book: The Australian National Dictionary . Oxford University Press . 1988 . 0195547365.
  13. News: Advertising . . 64 . New South Wales, Australia . Star Weekly . 19 February 1941 . 7 March 2023 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  14. Web site: 18 September 1950. Esky auto box invented by Malleys - Australian food history timeline. 2 January 2022. Australian Food Timeline.
  15. News: Advertising . . 68 . 21,429 . Australian Capital Territory, Australia . 16 December 1993 . 5 February 2023 . 17 . National Library of Australia.
  16. Web site: The Esky Australia Trademark Information . Trademark Elite . 5 February 2023.
  17. News: American company Coleman buys Esky from ailing Nylex . Herald Sun . 2 July 2009 . Australian Associated Press . 25 January 2015 . Higginbottom, Nick.
  18. News: Cool plan to take rescued Esky to the world . The Age . 15 August 2009 . 25 January 2015 . Oakes, Dan.
  19. Web site: Esky . The Coleman Company . 25 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131120063625/http://www.colemanaustralia.com.au/products/Esky . 20 November 2013 .
  20. News: Millmow . Alex . They've taken my Esky away . The Sydney Morning Herald . 8 July 2009 .
  21. Web site: Wine Casks, Eskys and Lamingtons . Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre . 25 January 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100516001945/http://www.questacon.edu.au/indepth/clever/lamingtons.html . 16 May 2010.
  22. News: Playing it cool. John . Newton. 12 October 2002. Sydney Morning Herald.
  23. News: Case of the chills. Willie . Simpson. 9 December 2003. The Age.
  24. News: Esky a lifesaver. . . ACT . 5 January 1979 . 11 March 2015 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  25. News: Esky keeps man afloat 25 hours. . . ACT . 2 May 1989 . 11 March 2015 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  26. News: Four rescued as boat sinks off Sydney. Mark . Tobin. 5 January 2012.
  27. News: Another Oz shark victim?. 27 November 2000.
  28. Book: The Macquarie essential dictionary . The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd . 2005 . Sydney . 263 . 1-876429-07-0.
  29. Web site: Esky by Malley's . Powerhouse Museum . 12 March 2015 . Powerhouse Museum, Australia.
  30. News: Advertising . . Rockhampton, Qld. . 20 August 1954 . 12 March 2015 . 7 . National Library of Australia.
  31. News: An Esky for all occasions. Jill . Dupleix. Mark . Shield. 23 October 1993. The Sunday Age.
  32. Web site: Cricket Cooler - Backyard Cricket Stumps with a 33 Litre Cooler Catch.com.au. 2021-03-22. www.catch.com.au.
  33. Web site: Cricket Cooler Halfords UK. 2021-03-22. www.halfords.com. en.
  34. News: Jefferson. Andrew. Rosebud man fined for driving Esky without a licence. Herald Sun. 18 January 2015. 22 June 2021.
  35. News: Adelaide man riding motorised Esky reported for driving unlicensed, unregistered vehicle. ABC News. 6 January 2015. 22 June 2021.
  36. Web site: 2001/84/28 Promotional kit, Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, cardboard / polystyrene / metal / plastic / paper, Sydney, 2000 . Powerhouse Museum . 12 March 2015 . Powerhouse Museum, Australia.