Stories That Built a 100 Year Legend

These messages revealed the depth and breadth of the brand. They featured customer testimonials and successes and often targeted the professionals who use tools to earn a living, while elevating their professions and bestowing dignity.

In 1994, during preparation for the 75th Anniversary, Snap-on launched an unprecedented national campaign targeted to consumers. The campaign featured ads in Sports Illustrated, Time, USA Today, Car Craft, Motor Trend, Hot Rod, Circle Track, Popular Mechanics and more.

Continuing in 1995, new ads profiled individual technicians, and highlighted the knowledge, training and skills required to be a technician, adding a wider audience. Based on the theme, "It Takes A Lot To Be An Auto Technician," it profiled individual technicians, and highlighted the knowledge, training and skills required to be an automotive technician in the 1990s.

For Snap-on's centennial year, the Makers and Fixers campaign was created to celebrate the essential workforce that keeps us all moving. From welders and aviation techs to auto mechanics and lineworkers, the Makers and Fixers shine a spotlight on the important work these men and women do by publishing their stories to MakersandFixers.com and our Instagram. 

Snap-on Cool Tools

Inspired by the Cool Tools posters created for Bahco tools, Snap-on commissioned original artwork featuring unique and innovative designs of Snap-on tools. They highlight some of the most distinctive and differentiated Snap-on product features. 

Solving Problems & Delivering Solutions Everywhere

Over the years, the company highlighted its expansion to service markets and industries, all with a keen focus on building personal relationships with customers and expertise to solve problems. 

Facing a jungle of work? Climbing the walls for a solution? Snowed under with work? Snap-on can help. 

Product Performance & Quality 

Quality and performance have been a hallmark of the brand since the beginning. Over the years, Snap-on has consistently called attention to the super-premium quality demanded by professional users and the many ways that the tools deliver. Snap-on truly does offer a difference and delivers reliable performance under in the most demanding situations. 

Rally The Nation

During WWII, Snap-on supported the war effort on multiple fronts and our marketing efforts evolved to address the situation. Snap-on ran a Tool Enlistment Plan to purchase idle tools from mechanics and put them back to work in the war effort. With a shortage of tools for wartime needs, ads encouraged U.S. citizens to “get every idle tool into the fight.”

Post-war, Snap-on joined the nation’s efforts to re-tool shops and support the growth in aftermarket service driven by increasing auto sales.

Customer Testimonials

No matter the industry, Snap-on has loyal customers willing to let everyone know how they feel about the brand and products. Check some out from the automotive and aviation industries below.

Education and Training

Snap-on has supported and nurtured technical education for virtually all of its existence. These ads show the various ways that the company and its products have contributed to educating students to give them the skills required to succeed.   

The Thinking Is In Your Hands

Early testing equipment evolved into integrated diagnostic solutions that helped technicians understand the performance of vehicles and components. Later, computerization both on board vehicles and the testing equipment led to deeper insights. Adding information from a wide range of repairs transformed simple diagnostics into sophisticated and intelligent solutions that improve the ability of the technician to solve problems and do repairs. 

Efficiency & Speed

The speed and efficiency with which a tool can accomplish a task are paramount in the many critical situations where time makes a difference. Snap-on advertising has frequently demonstrated how the right tools save time and increase efficiency. They have always featured ways to simplify work, making it easier and faster!