Timeline of the Osborne Bull
The Symbol of Osborne. An Icon of Spain.

1956: Osborne calls on artist Manolo Prieto to create a representative symbol of a bull for their Veterano Brandy to be used in a billboard campaign and on the bottle’s label.

1957: The first “bullboard” is produced and constructed by the side of a Spanish highway. Sixteen Osborne Bulls presided over Spanish highways by the end of 1957.

1962: Spanish highway laws require all advertising to be move 400 feet away from all public roadways. Osborne complies by moving back but increases the size of the
“bullboard” from 26 ft. to 46 ft.

1964: Osborne Bulls appear throughout the countryside all along the Spanish road system.

1988: A law is passed declaring all advertising must be removed from all public highways. Public outcry arises to save the bull’s presence on the highways.

1989: Osborne’s logo is deleted from the “bullboard” and 75% of Spaniards oppose the bull being completely taken down.

1990-1994: Numerous associations and citizens all over Spain demonstrate their support with a collection of signatures asking to declare the Osborne Bull a “cultural and artistic heritage site” of the Spanish people.

1994: In November the House of Commons approves a proposal, recognized by law, that declares the Osborne Bull a part of the cultural and artistic heritage of the Spanish people and countryside.

1997: The Spanish Supreme Court finally accepts the 1994 House of Commons proposal that the Osborne Bull has become part of the Spanish countryside, that citizens identify themselves with this symbol and declares it part of Spain’s national heritage.

[Art Bulls for Charity Osborne Timeline - Adobe PDF version]
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