Although Elmer the Bull did not become the marketing symbol for Borden's adhesive line until 1951, he had been a familiar household name since the 1940s. Elmer was designed in 1940 by David William Reid. Reid was part of the advertising team that developed Elsie the Cow, the well-known bovine marketing symbol for the dairy division. Elmer was a huge hit with the public and was frequently seen alongside Elsie and their children (Beulah and Beauregard created in 1948, and twins Larabee and Lobelia in 1957) in most promotional and advertising campaigns.