Advertising

Ivory Soap Ad

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.

Resource Type: Posters

"Fisherman in Trouble" mutoscope movie poster

Green posterboard with painted advertisement for mutoscope motion picture "Fisherman in Trouble"; two attached photographs show scenes from the movie - two men fishing on a pierCurrently not on view
Description
Green posterboard with painted advertisement for mutoscope motion picture "Fisherman in Trouble"; two attached photographs show scenes from the movie - two men fishing on a pier
Location
Currently not on view
date made
Post-1906
ID Number
PG.76.87.09
catalog number
76.87.9
accession number
2008.0095

"The Great Train Crash" mutoscope movie poster

Posterboard with painted advertisement for mutoscope motion picture "The Great Train Crash"; an attached photograph shows a woman boarding the caboose of a train on the moveCurrently not on view
Description
Posterboard with painted advertisement for mutoscope motion picture "The Great Train Crash"; an attached photograph shows a woman boarding the caboose of a train on the move
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
PG.76.86
catalog number
76.86
accession number
2007.3053

Feed a Fighter

Feed a Fighter. American World War I poster by artist Wallace Morgan for the United States Food Administration. Depicted is a soldier sitting in a trench, holding a cup, while other soldiers move through the trench in the background.Currently not on view
Description
Feed a Fighter. American World War I poster by artist Wallace Morgan for the United States Food Administration. Depicted is a soldier sitting in a trench, holding a cup, while other soldiers move through the trench in the background.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1917 - 1921
artist
Morgan, Wallace
ID Number
1986.3051.12
catalog number
1986.3051.12
nonaccession number
1986.3051

Back Our Girls Over There

Back Our Girls Over There. American World War I poster by artist Clarence F. Underwood for the Y.W.C.A. United War Work Campaign. Depicted is a member of the U.S.
Description
Back Our Girls Over There. American World War I poster by artist Clarence F. Underwood for the Y.W.C.A. United War Work Campaign. Depicted is a member of the U.S. Army Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit, or “Hello Girls,” seated at a switchboard with soldiers in the background.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1917 - 1921
artist
Underwood, Clarence F.
ID Number
1986.3051.10
catalog number
1986.3051.10
nonaccession number
1986.3051

For Every Fighter a Woman Worker

For Every Fighter a Woman Worker. American World War I poster by artist Adolph Treidler for the Y.W.C.A. United War Work Campaign. Depicted is a female munitions worker holding an airplane in her right hand and a mortar shell in her left hand.
Description
For Every Fighter a Woman Worker. American World War I poster by artist Adolph Treidler for the Y.W.C.A. United War Work Campaign. Depicted is a female munitions worker holding an airplane in her right hand and a mortar shell in her left hand. Behind her is a large blue triangle, the symbol of the YWCA.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1917 - 1921
ID Number
1986.3051.06
catalog number
1986.3051.06
nonaccession number
1986.3051

Kriegsanleihe

Kriegsanleihe (War Bond). Austrian World War I poster by artist Julius Klinger for the 8th War Loan, 1918. Depicted is a green and black dragon coming out of a red eight and pierced by eight arrows, representing the 8th War Loan.Currently not on view
Description
Kriegsanleihe (War Bond). Austrian World War I poster by artist Julius Klinger for the 8th War Loan, 1918. Depicted is a green and black dragon coming out of a red eight and pierced by eight arrows, representing the 8th War Loan.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1918
associated date
1917 - 1918
ID Number
AF.308845
accession number
308845

Zeichnet 7. Kriegsanleihe

Zeichnet 7. Kriegsanleihe (Subscribe to the 7th War Loan). Austrian World War I poster by artist Alfred Offner for the Vienna Commercial Bank, 1917. Depicted are Austrian soldiers with guns drawn crouching behind a wall of gold Austrian coins.Currently not on view
Description
Zeichnet 7. Kriegsanleihe (Subscribe to the 7th War Loan). Austrian World War I poster by artist Alfred Offner for the Vienna Commercial Bank, 1917. Depicted are Austrian soldiers with guns drawn crouching behind a wall of gold Austrian coins.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1917
associated date
1917 - 1918
ID Number
AF.308845 [dup2]
accession number
308845

Weapons for Liberty

Weapons for Liberty. American World War I poster by artist Joseph C. Leyendecker for the Boy Scouts of America Third Liberty Loan Campaign. Depicted is a Boy Scout kneeling while handing a sword to Liberty who holds a shield.
Description
Weapons for Liberty. American World War I poster by artist Joseph C. Leyendecker for the Boy Scouts of America Third Liberty Loan Campaign. Depicted is a Boy Scout kneeling while handing a sword to Liberty who holds a shield.
associated date
1917 - 1918
artist
Leyendecker, J. C.
ID Number
AF.65824MA
catalog number
65824MA
accession number
232120

If Ye Break Faith - We Shall Not Sleep

If Ye Break Faith - We Shall Not Sleep. Canadian World War I poster by artist Frank Lucien Nicolet. Depicted is a Canadian soldier standing at a grave amidst a field of poppies.Currently not on view
Description
If Ye Break Faith - We Shall Not Sleep. Canadian World War I poster by artist Frank Lucien Nicolet. Depicted is a Canadian soldier standing at a grave amidst a field of poppies.
Location
Currently not on view
associated date
1917 - 1918
ID Number
AF.65942M
catalog number
65942M
accession number
232120
232120

Design-in 1967

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1967
ID Number
1988.0239.01
catalog number
1988.0239.01
accession number
1988.0239

"We Can Do It!"

Artist J. Howard Miller produced this work-incentive poster for the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company.
Description
Artist J. Howard Miller produced this work-incentive poster for the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company. Though displayed only briefly in Westinghouse factories, the poster in later year has become one of the most famous icons of World War II.
As women were encouraged to take wartime jobs in defense industries, they became a celebrated symbol of female patriotism. But when the war ended, many industries forced women to relinquish their skilled jobs to returning veterans.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1942
commissioner
Westinghouse Electric Corporation
distributor
War Production Coordinating Committee
maker
Miller, J. Howard
ID Number
1985.0851.05
accession number
1985.0851
catalog number
1985.0851.05

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