Rusty Jones (company)
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Chemical, Automotive aftermarket |
| Predecessor | Body by Thixo-Tex (as predecessor brand) |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Founder | Michael Mater (Matex Corporation) |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Fate | Bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | Chicago , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Michael Mater (founder and president until 1989), Bruce Freud (former marketing director) |
| Products | Aftermarket rustproofing treatments for automobiles |
| Owner | Beatrice Foods (from 1984) |
| Parent | Matex Corporation (division before acquisition) |
Rusty Jones Inc. was a U.S.-based chemical firm that focused on providing aftermarket rustproofing treatments for automobiles under the "Rusty Jones" brand. Vehicles treated by the company prominently displayed a window decal featuring the Rusty Jones mascot, which originated from their television advertising campaigns. The corporate headquarters were located in Chicago, Illinois.
Formation
During the 1970s, a Chicago company named Body by Thixo-Tex offered localized rustproofing services and collaborated with the advertising agency Dawson, Johns & Black to develop the Rusty Jones brand identity and mascot. This strategic marketing initiative boosted revenue by fifty times within two years, positioning Rusty Jones as a national rival to Ziebart. Eventually, Rusty Jones became a division of Matex Corporation.
Matex Corporation was established around 1970 in Chicago by Michael Mater, a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company’s name was derived from Mater’s surname. Born in 1940, Mater passed away in 2002 at age 62. The original product name, Thixo-Tex, referenced the thixotropic properties (self-healing viscosity) of the rustproofing chemical but was later replaced with Rusty Jones to enhance brand recognition. Matex remained a privately owned entity based at 6200 North Hiawatha Ave., Chicago.
In 1984, with annual revenues hitting $150 million, Mater sold Rusty Jones to Beatrice Foods but continued as president under a five-year agreement. Following the acquisition, Beatrice significantly cut advertising spending—reducing it by more than fifty percent—and moved marketing efforts away from NASCAR sponsorships, which contributed to declining market share. As performance deteriorated, Beatrice proposed selling the company back to Mater; however, he declined due to the damage inflicted on the brand and his concerns about strategic and marketing decisions being disregarded.
Marketing
The company promoted itself with the tagline Hello Rusty Jones, goodbye rusty cars. A notable 1979 television commercial featured the animated Rusty Jones character perched atop a vehicle roof proclaiming, "I’m the one new car option you can buy that’ll appreciate in value... Workin' to save your car from rust. And a rust-free car is worth more. So at new car time, insist on Rusty Jones rustproofing."
Bankruptcy
In 1988, Rusty Jones Inc. sought bankruptcy protection, attributing its downturn partly to automakers extending their factory rust warranties. Between 1985 and 1988, its dealership network contracted from 3,000 to 1,800 outlets. Nonetheless, former marketing director Bruce Freud argued that the company remained highly profitable and attributed its failure primarily to the insolvency of its insurance provider responsible for rust warranty coverage, which resulted in operational difficulties.