American Tourister is a well known brand of suitcase.

Immigrant Sol Koffler founded American Luggage Works in Providence, Rhode Island in either 1932^[1] or 1933^[2] with his life savings. He was determined to produce luggage priced at $1 in the midst of the Great Depression.^[2] The company's breakthrough came soon after when Koffler devised a new line that was significantly better than that of the competition; he named it American Tourister.^[2]

In 1970, American Tourister launched a memorable ad campaign, highlighting the durability of its product by unleashing a "gorilla" (actually a man in a costume)^[3] on it. The commercial ran for fifteen years.^[3] It was also shown briefly in the 1995 movie, Apollo 13.^{[citation needed]}

In 1993, American Tourister was acquired by Astrum International, which also made Samsonite luggage.^[4] Astrum was renamed the Samsonite Corporation two years later.^[5]

[edit] See also

• Samsonite

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• American Tourister web page

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