Advertising

Advertising is meant to persuade, and the themes and techniques of that persuasion reveal a part of the nation's history. The Museum has preserved advertising campaigns for several familiar companies, such as Marlboro, Alka-Seltzer, Federal Express, Cover Girl, and Nike. It also holds the records of the NW Ayer Advertising Agency and business papers from Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Carvel Ice Cream, and other companies. The Warshaw Collection of Business Americana comprises thousands of trade cards, catalogs, labels, and other business papers and images dating back to the late 1700s.

Beyond advertising campaigns, the collections encompass thousands of examples of packaging, catalogs, and other literature from many crafts and trades, from engineering to hat making. The collections also contain an eclectic array of advertising objects, such as wooden cigar-store Indians, neon signs, and political campaign ads.

This brightly colored pamphlet titled "Mrs. Cinderella" is a program that accompanied a puppet show performed at the General Electric display building at the 1939 World's Fair In New York.
Description (Brief)
This brightly colored pamphlet titled "Mrs. Cinderella" is a program that accompanied a puppet show performed at the General Electric display building at the 1939 World's Fair In New York. (See 1979.1164.05)
The Tatterman Marionette Company, led by led by William Duncan and Ed Mable, entertained at the 1939 World's Fair and toured the country and performed this show hundreds of time to promote the wonders of electricity.
The book follows Cinderella and Prince Charming after they are happily married but living in a drafty, old castle inhabited by little elves who interfere with her daily chores and make her life miserable. Her fairy godmother appears and insists Cinderella call G-E 1939.
In a flash the castle is overrun with good little elves who get rid of the evil gnomes and install all new updated GE appliances that will make her life easier, including a new stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, mixer toaster, washing machine, hot water heater and a vacuum. The moral of the story being that GE products can make your life easier and give the housewife "added hours of freedom" to make a happy home. This is a wonderful example of early advertising using puppets as the media.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1939
depicted
CInderella
ID Number
2013.3001.039
nonaccession number
2013.3001
catalog number
2013.3001.039
This hand puppet of the character “Reddy Kilowatt” has lightning bolts for limbs and a light bulb for a nose. First created in 1926 by Ashton B. Collins of the Alabama Power Company, Reddy Kilowatt served as a licensed spokes-character for privately-owned electric utilities.
Description
This hand puppet of the character “Reddy Kilowatt” has lightning bolts for limbs and a light bulb for a nose. First created in 1926 by Ashton B. Collins of the Alabama Power Company, Reddy Kilowatt served as a licensed spokes-character for privately-owned electric utilities. Designed to put a friendly face on electricity, Reddy was used to advance a variety of electrical messages, first encouraging electricity adoption, then electrical safety and efficiency. Collins also used the character to promote his conservative political views. Reddy appeared in print advertisements, animated shorts, films, TV ads, and a variety of licensed merchandise.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2013.0047.11
accession number
2013.0047
catalog number
2013.0047.11
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1929
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.393
catalog number
2016.0066.0393
accession number
2016.0066
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Ansco
ID Number
2016.0066.410
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0410
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Argus Inc.
ID Number
2016.0066.407
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0407
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1930
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.362
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0362
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1959-09
ID Number
2016.0066.411
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0411
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1924
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.397
catalog number
2016.0066.0397
accession number
2016.0066
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1928
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.364
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0364
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1928-06
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.381
catalog number
2016.0066.0381
accession number
2016.0066
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1920-09
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.400
catalog number
2016.0066.0400
accession number
2016.0066
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1924
1924-09
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.398
catalog number
2016.0066.0398
accession number
2016.0066
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1931-12
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.404
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0404
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1929
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.361
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0361
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1923
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.365
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0365
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1903-06
advertiser
Rochester Optical & Camera Company
ID Number
2016.0066.359
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0359
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1900-03
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.358
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0358
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1923
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.395
catalog number
2016.0066.0395
accession number
2016.0066
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1928
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.363
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0363
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1929-10
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
maker
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.403
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0403
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1899-07
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.357
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0357
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1915-06
ID Number
2016.0066.406
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0406
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
advertiser
Eastman Kodak Company
ID Number
2016.0066.370
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0370
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Argus Inc.
ID Number
2016.0066.408
accession number
2016.0066
catalog number
2016.0066.0408

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