Our story
A confectioner on 8th Street soothed his own throat
In 1870 J. Herman Pine, a German immigrant, hung out a confectionery shingle on 8th Street above Walnut in Philadelphia and sold his first batch of Pine Brothers Glycerine Tablets. He had combined plant glycerin with gum acacia into one softish drop, trying to soothe his own throat.
He wrote that he had discovered something which would soothe the throats of thousands afflicted as he was, and added that perhaps he would not make much money from it, but he could make people happy, and that mattered more. The recipe has been soothing American throats for 156 years since.
Read the transcript and a description of the pictures
The film lasts 58 seconds. A narrator speaks over photographs and drawings.
[A photo of two Pine Brothers bags, Real Honey and Wild Cherry, on a carved wooden surface.]
Narrator: Pine Brothers throat drops have been soothing America's throats since 1870.
[A drawing of a hanging shop sign that reads "Pine Brothers Apothecary, Philadelphia."]
But the odyssey of Pine Brothers begins in sub-Saharan Africa,
[A drawing of hands holding a sack of golden gum acacia pieces.]
where gum acacia is harvested by hand for its ancient medicinal properties.
[A drawing of a beekeeper working hives in a green meadow, with jars of honey.]
The gum acacia is then combined with honey and plant glycerin
[A drawing of drops being made in an old apothecary.]
to create what we think is the most extraordinary throat drop in the world. In addition to delicious natural flavoring and naturally sourced colors, each Pine Brothers drop contains 39% gum acacia, 9% honey, and 3% plant glycerin,
[A pie chart: gum acacia 39%, real honey 9%, plant glycerin 3%. Then drawings of gum acacia, honey and plant glycerin under the words "51% key ingredients."]
totaling 51% key ingredients. No other throat drop comes close.
[A drawing of a heap of orange-red embossed drops, then yellow text: "Use during winter, spring, summer, fall."]
Gluten and corn syrup free, and with a unique softish consistency customers love, Pine Brothers has been soothing America's throats for over 150 years.
[A drawing of a family relaxing on a sofa with a dog.]
How much would you pay to soothe a sore throat? Next time, think Pine Brothers.
[The two bags again, with the web address www.pinebrothers.com.]