It’s hard to imagine a product that more closely captures the Australian essence than the Esky cooler by Nylex. Designed to cope with the rigours of travel in the harsh Australian climate and to complement the unique character of our outdoor lifestyle, the Esky cooler has been the essential companion of Australians for almost 50 years. Name a major sporting or cultural event, outdoor spectacle or significant national gathering of the last half-century and the Esky brand was there. Esky coolers, large and small, line the crib sheds of Australian industry, transport meals to the elderly, protect precious blood and human tissue in transit and always accompany anglers to the water in the expectation of a bumper catch. The shape and form of the Esky cooler has evolved with the changing style and pace of the nation, gaining improved function and versatility from new manufacturing materials and expanding into a family of products of every conceivable shape and size.
	By 1960, just eight years after its release, it was claimed that half a million Australian households owned an Esky brand cooler which then featured the design enhancements of a lock-down lid, a drain hole to eliminate melted ice, bottle opener and two-tone colour combinations. Outgrowing its original intended function as a portable refrigerator for the motoring public, the ideal suitability of the Esky cooler for all kinds of uses was becoming apparent as its numbers grew. The widespread use of Esky coolers generated further awareness among consumers. The visibility gained at countless family, social and sporting events gave rise to the adoption of the Esky cooler as a ‘must have’ product, an honour rarely bestowed by the Australian consumer. The recreational use of the Esky cooler reinforced the product’s quality.  It was not long before they were used by medical and emergency services to transport pharmaceuticals and transplant organs safely, and the product became the first choice of anyone anywhere in Australia with a product to transport where thermal protection was an issue.
	Launched in time for the summer of 1952, the first cooler sold under the trade mark Esky was manufactured by Malleys Ltd, the Sydney company that was begun by Francis Malley in 1884. Malleys was a manufacturer of household metal products which grew to be a leading manufacturer of household white goods until the 1980s. It was natural for a portable version of Malleys’ ice box to adopt the Esky brand made famous on the company’s popular domestic refrigerator. Made of metal and finished in green baked enamel and chrome, the first Esky cooler featured a removable three-tray food rack and boasted space for six, one pint bottles. Dubbed the ‘Esky Auto Ice Box’ the product was widely promoted to car owners in motoring journals, claiming that the product was: “Just as essential in the boot as the jack”! The Esky cooler indeed proved a winner as vast numbers of Australians ventured further from home with their families, enjoying new-found mobility with the postwar boom in car ownership. Greater numbers of families with a car, and the introduction of supermarkets to Australia, added to the popularity of the Esky cooler as shoppers were attracted further from home to buy groceries and returned carrying larger-than-ever quantities of perishable foods. Within three years the Esky cooler had adopted a new shape and a smaller version was created for people who walked or took public transport. Two new colours were added the following year and, by the end of the 1950s, it was claimed that ‘500,000 happy picnickers’ were now users of the Esky brand cooler. The smiling Eskimo who became the familiar Esky brand character for the next 30 years made his first appearance near the end of 1959, uttering the words: “Cool, man, cool”. Appearing with the slogan: ‘You can take it with you’, the advertising campaign that ushered the Esky brand name into the next decade featured a host of equally like-able characters, from adventurers to astronauts, all shown enduring isolation, but all heroically cheerful because they had taken along their Esky coolers. Nylex first manufactured Esky brand coolers in plastic, with some metal components, in 1984. Since then, the Esky cooler has shed virtually all of its metal parts. Insulation materials have also changed over the years from the original cork sheeting to the CFC-free, foamed in place rigid polyurethane used today. In response to changing lifestyles, Esky coolers have also become larger and more versatile. During the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, the average family Esky cooler had a 26-litre capacity. Now, most families need a 50-litre Esky cooler to satisfy their recreational and business needs.
	The ideology that saw the evolution of the Esky cooler by Nylex is as strong today as it was in the early ’50s. The uses for Esky coolers are limited only by the imagination of consumers. Their main function is still to provide a thermally stable environment, in conjunction with ice or ice packs, which will keep anything fresh or cold for longer. Manufacturing techniques and materials have advanced from the original metal Esky cooler to the modern polymers used today. Polypropylene and high-density polyethylene used in production are environmentally sound and the polyurethane insulation is one of the latest CFC-free formulas. The Esky cooler has always been designed to be easy and comfortable to carry, and constant design improvements have been made over the years. Particular attention has been given to handle design and the innovative slightly concave rear section that fits in close to the user’s leg, bringing the centre of gravity closer to the body when carrying.
	Esky coolers now come in all shapes and sizes to cater for the myriad uses Australians have for them. They feature ergonomic design, hinged lid, tall bottle provision, rigid polyurethane insulation, all plastic construction to prevent corrosion, extended 10 year warranty and, most importantly, are made in Australia. A full range of ice packs has been designed to complement Esky coolers. These also come in many shapes and sizes for maximum convenience and utility.
	The position of Esky as one of Australia’s leading brand names means that products bearing this name have always enjoyed a strong and positive image. Early advertising acknowledged Australian consumers’ liking for recognisable and imaginative caricatures and slogans. Advertising of Esky coolers evolved during the ’50s from the staid, informative advertisement that focused on functional aspects, to the birth of the appropriately hip “Cool, man, cool!” Eskimo and his friends exulting “You can take it with you!” The Eskimo has been with us for 30 years, building an unbreakable relationship between the Esky cooler and the Australian consumer. Now, promotional activity is conducted in close conjunction with retail clients to satisfy mutually compatible marketing objectives. In-store placement and packaging design is the focus, to gain maximum exposure to consumers.
	With the versatility and ability of Esky coolers to meet the demands of Australian life, the Esky trade mark deserves the strong brand image and reputation for excellence it possesses. The adaptation of Esky coolers to fit many roles has seen the product become part of this nation’s cultural fabric. Nylex has introduced the hard-working and trusty product to generations of young Australians, ensuring that Esky coolers will continue to participate in their everyday lives. Nylex’s high brand awareness and commitment to quality means that the trade mark Esky is and will remain one of Australia’s most well known and successful brands ever.

ESKY
		In the 46-year period since 1952, well over five million Esky coolers have been sold in Australia.
		A personal flotation device is one of the more unusual uses for an Esky cooler. There have been a number of cases where an Esky cooler has saved the life of anglers, the most recent being in Western Australia. A man was fishing from a small boat when a wave caused the boat to capsize. The man grabbed his Esky cooler, which he had been using to keep his bait cool, and floated to shore. Thanks to his Esky cooler, he lived to fish another day!
		The Hovey family from Horsham in Victoria boasts three generations of loyal Esky cooler users.