Emotional branding The series has a reoccurring theme and one of the posters used an iconic painting by John Everett Millais entitled “Bubbles”. The painting was inspired by Millais’ grandson and it was illustrated out of his delight for the child. The painting portrays pure innocence as Millais took the opportunity to paint his grandson because of how exquisite he looked while holding the pipe to make bubbles. Barratt then used the painting’s meaning to be part of the Pears Soap message. The soap was added on the foreground pertaining that well-groomed middle-class children could enjoy domestic comforts and have aspirations of
Thomas J. Barratt as Barratt had acquired the copyright. Barratt followed this with a series of advertisements inspired by Millais' painting, portraying cute children in idealized middle-class homes, associating Pears with social aspiration and domestic comfort. Barratt also made effective use of testimonials, recruiting both scientists and glamorous high-society figures. He also established "Pears Annual" in 1891, in which he promoted contemporary illustration and colour printing. In 1897, he added "Pears Cyclopedia", a single volume encyclopedia. Barratt's methods led to much comment and parody, most famously a Harry Furniss Punch cartoon in which a tramp says "I used your soap two years ago,