An advertising postcard is a postcard used for advertising purposes (as opposed to a tourism or greeting postcard). Postcards are used in advertising as an alternative to or to complement other print advertising such as catalogs, letters, and flyers. Advertising postcards may be mailed or distributed in other ways.
An advertising postcard is a privately, commercially produced, rectangular piece of stiff paper (typically 3.5 X 5.5 inches, or 148mm x 105mm in Europe)[1] printed in a form that is easy to send through the post and is designed to carry promotional messages of products or services.[2]
Brief history
From the 18th century, trade cards were used by businesses to promote a wide variety of goods and services.[3] Commercial 18th century publishing houses not only printed cards, but also assisted local business with their distribution.[4] These trade cards were the precursor to the modern advertising postcard.[5] By the late 19th century many well-known companies used trade cards as a form of promotion including: Colgate & Palmolive, Van Houten's cocoa, Clark's spool cotton, Tarrant's seltzer as well as many cigarette companies, sporting clubs and celebrities. These advertising postcards were also used for propaganda.[6]
These popularity of trade cards continued until well after the first world war, but began to wane with the introduction of commercial radio broadcasting in the 1920s due to advertisers' preferences for the immediacy of radio as a means of reaching mass audiences in a cost efficient manner. However, in the 1990s, advertising postcards regained some of their former popularity. Advertisers began to resurrect them as part of an overall integrated media strategy designed to reach highly mobile and 'hard-to-reach' youth markets.[7]
Trade cards and advertising postcards through the ages
A trade card for a furniture retailer and upholsterer, 1730-1742, V & A Museum
Trade card of Thomas Jeffreys, 1750
Trade Cards operated as advertising in the 18th century, Retail trade card, c. 1750
Cigarette card featuring the popular actress, Georgia Cayvan, c 1882
Retail trade card for Jeremiah M Grimley, c. 1884
Trade card for Miller & Hutchinson, piano, organ and musical instrument dealers, 1891
Players' Cigarette Card featuring Australian batsman, Donald Bradman, 1930s
Types
While there are many different types of postcards, there are two broad types - those that are mailed to customers, possibly names drawn from a mailing list, and those that are distributed directly.
Direct-mail
Early 21st century advertising postcard for Q-Chem,2003
Though postcards have traditionally always been rectangular in shape, some postal authorities, such as Canada Post Corporation, may allow non-rectangular shaped cards to be mailed.[8] This has given rise to new marketing concepts such as round postcards or cards specifically die cut to match the theme of a particular campaign.
Direct distribution
Advertising postcards are usually distributed by display on stands with patrons being encouraged to take them for free. These stands are typically situated in high traffic areas such as shopping malls, university campuses, public transport hubs and entertainment venues.
Popular culture
Advertising postcards have been very popular with collectors since their inception in the 18th and 19th centuries.[9] They straddle the boundary between "low art" and "high art"[10] One scholar has described the 19th century penchant for collecting postcards as a "mania."[11] Scholars have recently become interested in studying trade cards and advertising postcards as a means of understanding the emergent commercialisation of consumption in the 18th century.[12]
^Bogdan, R., Real Photo Postcard Guide: The People's Photo Postcard Guide,N.Y., Syracuse University Press, 2007, p. 5
^Berg, M. and Clifford, H., "Selling Consumption in the Eighteenth Century Advertising and the Trade Card in Britain and France," The Journal of the Social History Society, Volume 4, No. 2, 2007
^Raven, J., Publishing Business in Eighteenth-century England, Boydell & Brewer, 2014, p. 113
^Berg, M. and Clifford, H., "Selling Consumption in the Eighteenth Century: Advertising and the Trade Card in Britain and France," Cultural & Social History, Vol. 4, 2007 pp 145–170
^Wilson, J. Propaganda Postcards of the Luftwaffe, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Pen & Sword Publications, 2007
^"From Their Perspective IV: Commentaries on Modern Advertising Postcards," Exhibition June 1 to July 29, 2016, LMU Library [Archives & Special Collections], Online:
^, canadapost.ca, archived from the original on 2009-05-22, retrieved 2009-08-17
Hubbard P., "Advertising and Print Culture in the Eighteenth Century," In: Craciun A., Schaffer S. (eds), The Material Cultures of Enlightenment Arts and Sciences, [Palgrave Studies in the Enlightenment, Romanticism and the Cultures of Print], London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016
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An advertising postcard is a postcard used for advertising purposes as opposed to a tourism or greeting postcard Postcards are used in advertising as an alternative to or to complement other print advertising such as catalogs letters and flyers Advertising postcards may be mailed or distributed in other ways 1935 penny postcard advertising Auburn Automobiles Contents 1 Definition 2 Brief history 3 Types 3 1 Direct mail 3 2 Direct distribution 4 Popular culture 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksDefinition EditAn advertising postcard is a privately commercially produced rectangular piece of stiff paper typically 3 5 X 5 5 inches or 148mm x 105mm in Europe 1 printed in a form that is easy to send through the post and is designed to carry promotional messages of products or services 2 Brief history EditFrom the 18th century trade cards were used by businesses to promote a wide variety of goods and services 3 Commercial 18th century publishing houses not only printed cards but also assisted local business with their distribution 4 These trade cards were the precursor to the modern advertising postcard 5 By the late 19th century many well known companies used trade cards as a form of promotion including Colgate amp Palmolive Van Houten s cocoa Clark s spool cotton Tarrant s seltzer as well as many cigarette companies sporting clubs and celebrities These advertising postcards were also used for propaganda 6 These popularity of trade cards continued until well after the first world war but began to wane with the introduction of commercial radio broadcasting in the 1920s due to advertisers preferences for the immediacy of radio as a means of reaching mass audiences in a cost efficient manner However in the 1990s advertising postcards regained some of their former popularity Advertisers began to resurrect them as part of an overall integrated media strategy designed to reach highly mobile and hard to reach youth markets 7 Trade cards and advertising postcards through the ages A trade card for a furniture retailer and upholsterer 1730 1742 V amp A Museum Trade card of Thomas Jeffreys 1750 Trade Cards operated as advertising in the 18th century Retail trade card c 1750 Cigarette card featuring the popular actress Georgia Cayvan c 1882 Retail trade card for Jeremiah M Grimley c 1884 Trade card for Miller amp Hutchinson piano organ and musical instrument dealers 1891 Erie Railroad trade card before 1900 Ogden s cigarette card featuring jockey Elijah Wheatley c 1905 Fordham baseball card c 1910 The Happy Day washing machine 1910 Royalty Theatre London 1912 Willy s Overland Factory Toledo Ohio 1915 Players Cigarette Card featuring Australian batsman Donald Bradman 1930sTypes EditWhile there are many different types of postcards there are two broad types those that are mailed to customers possibly names drawn from a mailing list and those that are distributed directly Direct mail Edit Early 21st century advertising postcard for Q Chem 2003 Though postcards have traditionally always been rectangular in shape some postal authorities such as Canada Post Corporation may allow non rectangular shaped cards to be mailed 8 This has given rise to new marketing concepts such as round postcards or cards specifically die cut to match the theme of a particular campaign Direct distribution Edit Advertising postcards are usually distributed by display on stands with patrons being encouraged to take them for free These stands are typically situated in high traffic areas such as shopping malls university campuses public transport hubs and entertainment venues Popular culture EditAdvertising postcards have been very popular with collectors since their inception in the 18th and 19th centuries 9 They straddle the boundary between low art and high art 10 One scholar has described the 19th century penchant for collecting postcards as a mania 11 Scholars have recently become interested in studying trade cards and advertising postcards as a means of understanding the emergent commercialisation of consumption in the 18th century 12 See also EditBaseball card Corner card Cigarette cards Postcard Trade card Trading cardReferences Edit Postcard Guidelines Postary Retrieved 2019 03 20 Bogdan R Real Photo Postcard Guide The People s Photo Postcard Guide N Y Syracuse University Press 2007 p 5 Berg M and Clifford H Selling Consumption in the Eighteenth Century Advertising and the Trade Card in Britain and France The Journal of the Social History Society Volume 4 No 2 2007 Raven J Publishing Business in Eighteenth century England Boydell amp Brewer 2014 p 113 Berg M and Clifford H Selling Consumption in the Eighteenth Century Advertising and the Trade Card in Britain and France Cultural amp Social History Vol 4 2007 pp 145 170 Wilson J Propaganda Postcards of the Luftwaffe Barnsley South Yorkshire Pen amp Sword Publications 2007 From Their Perspective IV Commentaries on Modern Advertising Postcards Exhibition June 1 to July 29 2016 LMU Library Archives amp Special Collections Online http lmulibrary typepad com lmu library news 2016 04 coming soon from their perspective iv commentaries on modern advertising postcards html Canada Post Create Compelling Direct Mail canadapost ca archived from the original on 2009 05 22 retrieved 2009 08 17 Reed R Advertising Postcards Schiffer 2000 Cirker H Old Time Advertising Postcards N Y Dover Publications 2003 Prochaska D Postcards Ephemeral Histories of Modernity Refiguring Modernism Series 2010 Bogdan R Real Photo Postcard Guide The People s Photo Postcard Guide N Y Syracuse University Press 2007 p 2 Hubbard P Trade Cards in 18th Century Consumer Culture Circulation and Exchange in Commercial and Collecting Spaces Material Culture Review Volume 74 75 Spring 2012 lt Online https journals lib unb ca index php MCR article view 20447 23603 gt Further reading EditHubbard P Advertising and Print Culture in the Eighteenth Century In Craciun A Schaffer S eds The Material Cultures of Enlightenment Arts and Sciences Palgrave Studies in the Enlightenment Romanticism and the Cultures of Print London Palgrave Macmillan 2016Hubbard P Trade Cards in 18th Century Consumer Culture Circulation and Exchange in Commercial and Collecting Spaces Material Culture Review Volume 74 75 Spring 2012 Online https journals lib unb ca index php MCR article view 20447 23603External links EditVictorian tradecards Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Advertising postcard amp oldid 1001131427, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
