The World in Color—Color Images in Advertising

“In this post-war period of broken precedents, of weakened traditions, it is not surprising that the old chromatic inhibitions should be shaken off and that the American people should gratify it instinct for color by bathing itself in a torrent of brilliant hues.”

“Color in Industry”, Fortune Magazine–Premier issue, 1930

The Advertising Boom
The advertising business developed sophisticated tools for stimulating demand in the first third of the 20th century. Driven by manufacturers who could easily produce and distribute a wider array of products than ever before, consumer culture evolved at a quickening pace. Advertising became more important as a means of creating demand and cutting through clutter as it became a more visual affair. Late 19th century marketing vehicles such as department store catalogues and newspaper classifieds were full of text based descriptions and grandiose pleadings. Advertising in the twentieth century moved to a full page, image centered approach favored by magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post and Life. By the end of the 1920’s, a sea change in attitudes about selling had occurred that placed visual representation at the center. It was noted by Indiana University advertising psychology professor Harry Kitson in the 1920's that illustrations appeared in less than one third of newspaper magazine ads in 1895, but by 1919 they were nearly universal.

Early uses of color in advertising consisted of illustrations rather than photographs. Technical limitations and costs(printing in color was anywhere from 25-100% more expensive than black and white in the 1920’s) still barred the door to color photos as means of expression for many , restricting usage to those advertisers who could most afford it. No discussion of the uses of color photography can ignore the factor of cost. It was, and still is today, more expensive to produce and disseminate color images through the media. This fact limited the venues through which color could be disseminated and the types of images that would be reproduced.

In the 1920’s and 1930’s, color illustrations and photographs became a tool to convey meaning and grab attention in periodicals. Consumers were bombarded with visual images, soundwaves from the radio, motion pictures and movie reels. Potential buyers were given a broader array of products to choose from as well as more information from new types of media to process. This led to less time for a consumer to focus on any given sales pitch. Color was a way to cut through the clutter and make an impression quickly and dramatically.

Color Enters the Marketplace

Fostering a need for color representation in advertising was a boom in the use of color in consumer goods. A broader range of color was introduced to consumer goods in kitchens, highways, bathrooms, and offices in the 1920's. Part of this was due to advances in the dye industry after World War I, which allowed for a greater proliferation of color in consumer products. This led to a further need to advertise in color to highlight product features and innovations. Prior to the 1920's, interest in analyzing color and the nomenclature of color had been reserved for discussion and analysis of art and nature, not commerce. The textile industry ushered in new trends in signifying and incorporating color into new products. They were soon followed by those in the automobile and consumer goods sectors. Color classification systems were devised by manufacturing associations to improve clarity and exert control over proprietary technologies. The advertising industry sought to use color to stimulate creativity amongst writers, whose verbal flourishes gave use colors such as Airedale, sauterne, and heliotrope. That trend continues today in colorations for consumer products including names such as Desert Sand Mica and Mocha Mist. Color was used to signify mood and stimulate desire.

Side by Side: Black and White and Color in Periodicals
The easiest place to find the divergence of application of color photography and black and white photography is in the pages of periodicals, especially those published after the advent of Kodachrome, which reduced technical limitations to color photography. Life magazine appeared in November of 1939 with a black and white photo of the dam at Fort Peck, Montana on the cover. The magazine focused heavily on black and white photographs in editorial content. There were numerous color illustrations in display ads that featured cars, cigarettes, liquor and clothes, with a few photos interspersed. The relatively few color photographs in the early years of Life centered on still life photographs of artwork by Van Gogh and Rembrandt, portraits of artists, and an occasional photograph of buildings including the University of Virginia Grounds or Mussolini’s palace. These depictions were consistent with the technical limitations still in place for color photography, still needing greater stillness of subject. Time was also a factor that limited the use of color. Printing color required more time to prepare plates, set up presses, and manage the separate ink runs for color pages. Advertisers were impacted by time pressures to a much lesser extent than editorial staffs, who had to keep content timely. Lead time could be up to six weeks on a color job, which limited the subjects treated in color story.

Patterns established in the 1920’s regarding suitability of subject matter for color photography were firmly entrenched . Serious news, candid shots, and everyday life were the realm of black and white. Images of fantasy depicted in advertising, the world of high art, architecture, and entertainment were suitable for depiction in color. This remained the norm even into the late 1930’s, as Kodachrome seemingly opened the doors of possibility for color photography.