The Osborne bull () is a black silhouetted image of a bull in semi-profile. Erected as either or billboards, as of July 2022 there are 92 of them installed on hilltops and along roadways throughout much of Spain. Conceived as an advertising vehicle over ago, the Osborne bull has given its parent company extraordinary brand recognition around the world. With the passage of time, the Osborne bull has become enmeshed in Spain's cultural identity and is now considered an unofficial national emblem. History The , renowned purveyor of wines, spirits and various other food products, is the second oldest company in Spain and one of the oldest companies in the world. It was founded in 1772 by Thomas Osborne Mann, an English shopkeeper from Exeter who moved to Cádiz to trade in wines. Now over later, the company enjoys longevity and international fame and recognition. In 1956, Osborne wanted an ad campaign to promote its Brandy de Jerez. Designer came up with a simple but effective design: a silhouetted black bull with the words "Veterano Osborne" () stenciled on it. Originally built out of wood and high and erected near major roads throughout Spain, by 1961 these "bullboards" were being built up to high and out of wood, steel and sheet metal to better withstand the elements. To comply with a 1962 law that prohibited advertising billboards within of a road, the bulls were moved back but were increased in size to , weighing . Then in 1974, another law required all advertising billboards to be moved to a distance of , so the bulls were moved again. In July 1988 a law that prohibited all roadside advertising went into effect. All advertising content was removed from the billboards, although the bulls themselves remained. New regulations governing national roadways in September 1994 called for the removal of all the Osborne bulls. Public outcry over the bulls' removal resulted in the Congress of Deputies declaring them a part of the "cultural and artistic heritage of the people of Spain." The bulls stayed up. In December 1997, the Supreme Court ruled that the bulls could remain, on the grounds that they had become a part of the landscape and have "aesthetic or cultural significance." The bull today As of 1998, the Osborne bull is no longer a strictly commercial symbol. Having become a cultural icon of the country, it occasionally becomes embroiled