In honor of Wallace Carlson Printing celebrating 85 years in the print industry, we wanted to take a look back in time. Graphic design and print have changed considerably since the 1930’s. Below we have selected various advertisements and packaging from the 1930s and have compared them to their contemporary versions.
With advances in graphic design, printing, and photography creativity has become boundless. While the 1930’s provided amazing and beautiful examples of print, modern day technology has allowed visual artists to expand their horizons. Take a look below at examples of print, then and now.
Twining Tea Printed Advertisements
Twining Tea, in operation, since 1706 has a long history of delivering tea to the masses. Above on the right is an advertisement from 1930. Next to it on the left is from the last couple of years. In some ways, their marketing efforts have not changed. The visual of tea in the cup, wispy lines, and a white background.
Coca-Cola Advertisements
Coca-Cola, established in 1892 has since become an American Icon of advertising and packaging. Known for their direct and simple message slogans, they have produced thousands of advertisements through the years. Above on the left-hand side is an ad from the late 1930s and next to it is a contemporary counterpart. While coke has changed from illustration to photography, their marketing has stayed pretty consistent.
Ford Motor Company Advertisements
Ford, was founded in 1903 in Dearborn Michigan. Automobiles have a long history of advertising in print. With modern photography advances, modern advertising and collateral rarely see illustrated vehicles anymore.
Campbell’s Soup Company
The Campbell’s Soup Company began in 1869 and has been American mainstay ever since. Above on the left-hand side is an ad from 1934 when the chicken noodle variety was first being offered. To the left is a modern ad featuring photographs of the very recognizable soup cans clad in new labels with a vintage twist.
Sunkist
Sunkist, growing citrus fruit since 1983 has changed their packaging considerably over the years. While in the 1930s, they used wooden crates to ship and sell their product. The image on the right-hand side is an ad or label from that time. To the left is a modern ad for the Sunkist grapefruit and was used as a bag topper for the mesh bagged grapefruits.
Wheaties Cereal Boxes
Synonymous with athletic achievement, the Wheaties box has been a symbol of American athleticism since the 1930s. In 1934, Wheaties made the decision to feature people on the front of their cereal boxes. Jack Armstrong, a fictional radio character, was the first to grace the cover. Soon followed, Lou Gehrig the first American Athlete to be featured. Since then Wheaties has featured athletes every year to reinforce the brand tagline, “breakfast of champions.” In 2016, Ryan Dungey was the first motocross athlete on the box.
In all aspects, packaging and printed advertising have come a long way since the 1930’s and so has Wallace Carlson Printing. Leading the way with technology upgrades and producing the best quality available in today’s market, WCP continues to push progress forward. It is exciting to think of where the next 85 years will take us.