Trade Catalogs and American Advertising
In 1893, Sears Roebuck and Co. became the first company to offer a mail-order catalog for a wide variety of goods. In the early twentieth century, department stores used mail-order catalogs for items not sold in their stores, such as clothing and shoes. Later on, companies like Netflix used online catalogs to become successful despite having no physical locations.
Trade Catalogs are one medium of advertising that is still alive today. Most trade shows generate a large number of buyer’s guides in order to provide useful information on exhibiting companies in the industry they cover. The usefulness of these catalogs stems from their ability to provide accurate and relevant information that is not available in newspapers, magazines, or websites.
Around the turn of the 20th century, trade catalogs were published by major American companies—such as Sears, Roebuck and Co., Singer Company, and Montgomery Ward—that had large distribution networks. These companies disseminate information on what they sell with each page featuring interesting facts about their products. In addition to providing quality goods at affordable prices, these companies also valued loyalty to their customers through personalized correspondence. For instance, in 1939, Sears sold a phonograph record with this message on the sleeve: “Made for you for the life you live.”
The trade catalog was a go-to source of information for consumers by and large. Catalogs provided valuable information on products available and the names of their manufacturers. In the case of retailers, they became the initial means to advertise wares to potential buyers among rural populations. The radio too became a popular medium for advertising and would eventually replace paper catalogs in certain sectors like clothing retailing. At one point, Sears Roebuck’s largest share of revenues came from its mail-order catalog business and not from retail stores (as it is today).
The advent of mail-order catalogs, however, did not come without drawbacks. The trade catalog was criticized for promoting materialism, encouraging tendencies to overspend, and providing an inflated idea of the worth of goods. However, these catalogs also encouraged a sense of community by advertising local products made by volunteers and civic associations.
Modern times have witnessed a decline in the use of trade catalogs. The advent of the Internet and e-commerce replaced most traditional forms of advertising including radio, magazines, television spots, and mail-order catalogs. Despite this decline in usage however, trade catalogs have lived on through various platforms such as websites, smartphones apps, and newspapers.
Today, trade catalogs are still used as a resource for both consumers and retailers, who may still find it useful for researching products. For example, companies like Macy’s and Target use catalogs to attract potential customers to their stores by offering attractive sales on merchandise. On the other hand, websites like Zappos and Net-a-Porter differentiates themselves from other retailers by using a collection of vintage catalogues to convince visitors of their authenticity. Catalogues are also useful in competitions, such as the New York City Marathon which awards cash and prizes to runners who wear uniforms made from vintage Sears Roebuck & Co. catalogues. These catalogues also provide a sense of nostalgia.
Despite their apparent decline, trade catalogs are still appreciated by many. Their ability to provide information and be a source of entertainment has earned them a place in the history of advertising.
<http://onlinecollegesreview.org/2010/10/trade-catalogs-and-american-advertising/>
ARTICLE END
The Production Code Administration (PCA) was an American film production watchdog organization implemented by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) in 1934, and administered until 1954 to regulate the production code as set by American motion picture producers. The PCA exercised control through licensing of the films' distributors and exhibitors, thus granting them access to the lucrative Hollywood film market. The Production Code was not originally enforced until July 1, 1934, after Paramount Pictures adopted it on March 31 for "Come Up Smiling" (1932) and MGM did so for "The Wet Parade" (1932). Later filmmakers also accepted this contract by signing a studio or talent guild contract or by making an agreement with the independent producers' organization known as the Screen Directors Guild (which submitted its own list of "Don'ts and Be Carefuls" to its members in 1937).
An administrator was appointed by the MPPDA board to enforce adherence to its decisions. From its inception, the MPPDA had a policy of non-interference in the creative process. The PCA enforced its decisions by expelling any studio found to be in violation of the code and revoking studio contracts if they failed to conform. The PCA also attempted to ensure that films were not adapted from books without permission.
The MPPDA's Production Code was last enforced by the MPAA between 1968 and 1979, when it began a period of voluntary self-regulation that continues via the current voluntary rating system (MPAA "R" ratings for films containing themes and subject matter considered inappropriate for general audiences).
Nash, Jay Robert. "The Motion Picture Production Code Administration and the Hays Office." "Film History", April 1989. Accessed April 23, 2010. <http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_n4_v5/ai_5675684>.
Sperling, Cass Warner to Jack Warner (1935) on re: “Dirty Harry” (1971) http://www.emmytvlegends.org/bios/1976_01_02/10082/10082.php
Birch, Frank, ed. (1932) "The Motion Picture Production Code: A Complete and Authoritative Code of All the Laws Governing the Making and Selling of Motion Pictures in the United States". New York: The Knickerbocker Press.
Jensen, Joan. "Media Technology and Society." Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1983. Print. <http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/Jensen_crm103902/?page=4>.
Singer, Allen J., ed.(1934) "The Production Code Administration". New York: Crown Publishers.
Singer, Allen J., ed.(1934) "The Production Code Administration". New York: Crown Publishers.
Staiger, Janet, and Paul Golding. “Historical notes on the MPAA film rating system." Cinema Journal 33 (1994): pp. 7–34.
The Industry Forecasting Company was a production and distribution agency operated by Jock Whitney under the name of Paramount Pictures in conjunction with the Fox Film Corporation and Radio-Keith-Orpheum Corporation (RKO). Established on December 15, 1928 as a merger between three earlier agencies: Whitney Pictures Corporation (formerly operated by producer/director John S.
Conclusion:
The Medium and the Message
Jones, Julian. "The Wrong Stuff." New York: The Free Press, 2004. Print. <http://books.google.com/books?id=JtG14W0KjOUC&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=>
Hansler, John D., ed. "American Cinema of the 1930s–1950s: A Critical Introduction". Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2006. Print.<http://www.historicaldocumentsonline.