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Episode 2 - HBC Collection

March 3, 2018

About the Episode

Even if you have never owned a piece of Hudson’s Bay Company merchandise, we’re all familiar with those iconic stripes.  From point blankets and traditional canoes to off-the-rack clothing and even a fashion Barbie doll, there is little that the HBC has not marketed to Canadians. We know the stripes, we know the merchandise, but how much do we know about the history behind this ubiquitous Canadian brand?

Join Nick, Robin, and Keely as they explore the history of the Company – particularly its merchandise – and its role in shaping Canadian identity. They’ll also examine the connection between heritage and corporate marketing. Finally, stay tuned to find out what national treasure Keely has dreams of stealing to share with Canadians.

Notes

  1. If Nick piqued your interesting in reading more about the how the Hudson’s Bay Company functioned as a state, you can read Edward Cavanagh’s article “A Company with Sovereignty and Subjects of its Own? The Case of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 1670-1763” (cited below). You can also read the book that inspired Cavanagh’s article: Philip J. Stern’s The Company-State: Corporate Sovereignty and the Early Modern Foundations of the British Empire in India.
  2. If Keely’s segment on the World Poultry Congress caught your attention, check out this silent film of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk9HDRtZ9qg.

Sources

Cavanagh, Edward. “A Company with Sovereignty and Subjects of its Own? The Case of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 1670-1763.” Canadian Journal of Law and Society 26, 1 (2011): 25-50.

FundingUniverse.  Hudson’s Bay Company Historyhttp://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/hudson-s-bay-company-history/.

Historica Canada. Hudson’s Bay Companyhttps://thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/hudsons-bay-company/

Hudson’s Bay Co. Our Historyhttp://www2.hbc.com/hbcheritage/history/.

Stern, Philip J. The Company-State: Corporate Sovereignty and the Early Modern Foundations of the British Empire in India. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.

Wiart, Nikki. “HBC’s ‘Colonial Barbie’ comes with some baggage.” Maclean’s Online (Dec 16, 2016): http://www.macleans.ca/society/hbcs-colonial-barbie-comes-with-some-baggage/.

Credits

Producers: Robin Mullins and Emily Cuggy

Hosts: Robin Mullins, Nick Bridges, Keely McCavitt

Researcher: Nick Johnston

Audio Editing: Emily Cuggy

Web Content: Casandra Masse

Image Credit: Advertisement for the Point Blanket Coat.  Image Source: http://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/fashion-pop/hudsons-bay-point-blanket-coat.

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