Old car ads from magazines & newspapers
Discussion
This is a thoroughly enjoyable thread.
The Koenig/Krone series of VW adverts in the 60s and 70s was a revolution in graphic advertising. Before then cars were often, in fact mainly, drawn. A photograph often didn’t render well in newsprint. The advertiser would distort the dimensions, normally making the car appear much bigger, this even in the USA with their massive barges. In fact, mainly in the USA.
Another major revolution was that the text was seen as a feature of the advert. No longer just waffle, it was well produced, relevant, funny and got talked about. Although it sounds odd now, one of the changes that Koenig/Krone brought in was to have the image and copy teams working in the same office. It now seems bizarre that they should be separated.
The headlines were inspired: Think Small, Lemon, and my favourite, the one for the original bus, with a woman getting kids out of it, A Face only a Mother Could Love.
A number of VW ads didn’t even show the car. The first one was a row of cars all covered in snow but a Beetle-sized gap between two big ones. The headline: The One That Got Away.
The series was crticised by some (bitter?) commentators, the suggestion being that the adverts were not only read by people wanting to buy VWs. They did not know what advertising was as the ads were talked about, were written about, and all of a sudden the Beetle became cool.
These adverts were copied, as can be seen by paging through this very interesting thread, by all the major car companies as well as the manufacturers of other products.
Germany advertising is still the leader in many ways. The Merc adverts for the Superbowl are eagerly anticipated and written about post event.
Adverts are an overlooked art form.
This is a great thread.
Nik da Greek said:
P5BNij said:
Another major revolution was that the text was seen as a feature of the advert. No longer just waffle, it was well produced, relevant, funny and got talked about. Although it sounds odd now, one of the changes that Koenig/Krone brought in was to have the image and copy teams working in the same office. It now seems bizarre that they should be separated.
The headlines were inspired: Think Small, Lemon, and my favourite, the one for the original bus, with a woman getting kids out of it, A Face only a Mother Could Love.
A number of VW ads didn’t even show the car. The first one was a row of cars all covered in snow but a Beetle-sized gap between two big ones. The headline: The One That Got Away.
The series was crticised by some (bitter?) commentators, the suggestion being that the adverts were not only read by people wanting to buy VWs. They did not know what advertising was as the ads were talked about, were written about, and all of a sudden the Beetle became cool.
These adverts were copied, as can be seen by paging through this very interesting thread, by all the major car companies as well as the manufacturers of other products.
Germany advertising is still the leader in many ways. The Merc adverts for the Superbowl are eagerly anticipated and written about post event.
Adverts are an overlooked art form.
This is a great thread.
I recently acquired some Hot Car magazines from the early seventies. Some scans attached. Looking through the magazines is fascinating. The magazine was obviously aimed at those who modified and maintained their own cars. Full of features and articles on modifying Ford Escorts, Anglias, Cortinas, Vauxhall Vivas, Minis, Hillman Hunters and Avengers. One of my favourites is the one for Dupli-color custom colour paints, don't know if they ever caught on. Also a random page from the advertisement section of the magazine with an advert for a fibreglass kit to convert your rusty Austin 1100/1300. In fact there are a lot of adverts for fibreglass body parts and body repair products. Probably too many to post on one post, another one to follow.
Derek Smith said:
The Koenig/Krone series of VW adverts in the 60s and 70s was a revolution in graphic advertising. Before then cars were often, in fact mainly, drawn. A photograph often didn’t render well in newsprint. The advertiser would distort the dimensions, normally making the car appear much bigger, this even in the USA with their massive barges. In fact, mainly in the USA.
Another major revolution was that the text was seen as a feature of the advert. No longer just waffle, it was well produced, relevant, funny and got talked about. Although it sounds odd now, one of the changes that Koenig/Krone brought in was to have the image and copy teams working in the same office. It now seems bizarre that they should be separated.
The headlines were inspired: Think Small, Lemon, and my favourite, the one for the original bus, with a woman getting kids out of it, A Face only a Mother Could Love.
A number of VW ads didn’t even show the car. The first one was a row of cars all covered in snow but a Beetle-sized gap between two big ones. The headline: The One That Got Away.
The series was crticised by some (bitter?) commentators, the suggestion being that the adverts were not only read by people wanting to buy VWs. They did not know what advertising was as the ads were talked about, were written about, and all of a sudden the Beetle became cool.
These adverts were copied, as can be seen by paging through this very interesting thread, by all the major car companies as well as the manufacturers of other products.
Germany advertising is still the leader in many ways. The Merc adverts for the Superbowl are eagerly anticipated and written about post event.
Adverts are an overlooked art form.
This is a great thread.
Many thanks indeed for your contribution - here are the ones you mentioned:Another major revolution was that the text was seen as a feature of the advert. No longer just waffle, it was well produced, relevant, funny and got talked about. Although it sounds odd now, one of the changes that Koenig/Krone brought in was to have the image and copy teams working in the same office. It now seems bizarre that they should be separated.
The headlines were inspired: Think Small, Lemon, and my favourite, the one for the original bus, with a woman getting kids out of it, A Face only a Mother Could Love.
A number of VW ads didn’t even show the car. The first one was a row of cars all covered in snow but a Beetle-sized gap between two big ones. The headline: The One That Got Away.
The series was crticised by some (bitter?) commentators, the suggestion being that the adverts were not only read by people wanting to buy VWs. They did not know what advertising was as the ads were talked about, were written about, and all of a sudden the Beetle became cool.
These adverts were copied, as can be seen by paging through this very interesting thread, by all the major car companies as well as the manufacturers of other products.
Germany advertising is still the leader in many ways. The Merc adverts for the Superbowl are eagerly anticipated and written about post event.
Adverts are an overlooked art form.
This is a great thread.
...plus a nice thread with 50 more classic 60's VW ads:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/all-the-great-...
...and a few more classic VW T1 ads:
https://www.buzzfeed.com/copyranter/all-the-great-...
...and a few more classic VW T1 ads:
Thanks for that. Memories of my youth.
I studied graphic art and we would phone one-another when a new ad appeared. We'd have conversations about them, pulling them apart.
It was a great time to be in graphic art, even someone who had little skill. But even I could see how remarkable they were.
Good memories. You should have seen the girls at college, and this at a time of miniskirts.
I studied graphic art and we would phone one-another when a new ad appeared. We'd have conversations about them, pulling them apart.
It was a great time to be in graphic art, even someone who had little skill. But even I could see how remarkable they were.
Good memories. You should have seen the girls at college, and this at a time of miniskirts.
AMG Merc said:
Pistachio said:
AMG Merc said:
Thats's right, yes. In the1960s you needed One of these £1.25 radio licences. 
This ins't mine. May be intersting to look up the plate, see if it still exists...
Had a spare moment and found it is no longer This ins't mine. May be intersting to look up the plate, see if it still exists...
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