Advertising in World War One was vitally important to the war and gathering up the American people's support. George Creel, chairman of the Committee of Public Information during this time, puts it best: "every advertising man in the United States was enrolled in America's second line, and from the very moment of their enrollment, we could feel the quickening of effort, the intensification of endeavor." Essentially, World War I and advertising depended on each other very thoroughly (Sloan, 2011). The Committee of Public Information was established by President Wilson in April 1917 by executive order. The advertising industry immediately wanted in, starting a separate division within the CPI. The CPI brought together all sorts of advertising agencies and clubs to promote the war effort. One major goal was to communicated with the millions of men between 18-45 that they must register for possible service. As well as advertising for men, they also called for the Americans on the home front to take action (Sloan, 2011). Some ways that the home front was advertised to was in the form of Liberty Bonds and conservation in the home (Sivulka, 1998). The estimated work done by the advertising agencies during the war came to around $5 million. This included businesses work for the war as well, including donating ad space for the government. Companies oftentimes also promoted their regular products alongside Liberty Bonds and other war-time projects (Sloan, 2011). The two advertisements on the left represent the way the war was displayed, as well as changes in advertisements in general. Approaching the 1920's, ads became more sexualized (Sloan, 2011). Both of these advertisements start to hint at this development of sex in ads, displaying young, beautiful, and extremely patriotic young women. The first is a direct call to those on the home front, to can and preserve food. The woman, clothed in stars and stripes, is raising her can like Lady Liberty raises her arm, promoting a strongly patriotic symbol matched with the practicality of canned vegetables. The second ad also shows a Lady Liberty-esque image, where she is angelically leading men off into war with the American flag blowing into wind. She both calls for men to join the war, as well as those at home to support. Advertising was a huge impact on the war, but the efforts taken for the war also sculpted the appearance of advertisements that would be visible for the next decades to come. Works Cited: Christy, Howard Chandler. Support the War! 1917. National Archives. National Archives Digital Vault. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://digitalvaults.org/#/detail/3375/?record=3375>. Jacobs, Leonebel. The Fruits of Victory. 1918. Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/93510433/>. Sivulka, Juliann. Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub., 1998. N. pag. Print. Sloan, W. David. The Media in America: A History. Northport, AL: Vision, 2011. Print. |
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![]() Business has always found a way to keep growing, and by the early 20th century, several thousands of independent firms consolidated into 269 companies via a wave of mergers from 1898 to 1902 (Silvulka, 1998). These large businesses ranged from copper to sugar to railroads. With J. P. Morgan's purchase of Carnegie Steel, US Steel dominated the steel empire and became a prime example of a trust for other countries looking from the outside in. The National Biscuit Company, now known commonly as Nabisco, absorbed a great number of smaller bakeries, and a farming machinery manufacturer named International Harvester. James Buchanan Duke brought all of his separate tobacco products under one name- American Tobacco Company. Here was the beginning of big brand names (Silvulka, 1998). This was the perfect time for big businesses to thrive, considering the shift of America towards a consumer economy. Industry shifted from producing capital goods to consumer goods such as foods and furnishings. The increase in immigrants kept the workforce strong, as well as developments in packaging and chain stores. Packagers could now use clear covering for food, so not only would the food stay fresh but the inside product could be visible. JC Penny's was an example of such chain-link stores, opening 300 retail clothing outlets by 1920 (Silvulka, 1998). Advertisements, in turn, reflected more of a wanted "look," and not so much purely informative. For example, the Hershey's ad above created between 1922 and 1927, does not carry any information at all about Hershey. Brand names made it so products were recognizable enough that an explanation was no longer necessary. Instead of selling Hershey chocolate as a sweet snack, it advertises it in a subtle way, almost as if it were a fashion accessory. The Wrigley's gum advertisement below displays Wrigley's as "The Perfect Gum." It is being kicked over football goal posts, making it inherently American. This advertisement is not necessarily selling just gum, but an idea of Americanism. True Americans chew Wrigley's. With the emergence of big business in America, advertisements shifted form being explanatory, and oftentimes boring, to representations of fashion or even ideals. Nobody needed to ask what products were anymore, because big businesses became household names. Works Cited:
Marshall, Juliann N. Hershey's. 1922-1927. Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2002706488/>. Sivulka, Juliann. "Chapter 3: 1900- World War I The Rise of a Consumer Economy." Soap, Sex, and Cigarettes: A Cultural History of American Advertising. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Pub., 1998. N. pag. Print. Wrigley's Spearmint the Perfect Gum / McCandlish Lithograph Corporation. 1920-1930. Library of Congress. Library of Congress. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/92517387/>. |
AuthorSara Kiley Watson Archives
April 2015
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