Both eclipsed and influenced by television, American print ads of the
1970s departed from the bold, graphic forms and subtle messages that
were typical of their sixties counterparts. More literal, more
in-your-face, 70s ads sought to capture the attention of a public
accustomed to blaring, to-the-point TV commercials.
All was not lost, though; as ads are a sign of the times, racial and
ecological awareness crept into everything from cigarette to car
advertisements, reminding Americans that everyday products were hip to
the modern age. In an attempt to discover how best to communicate with a
mass audience, marketing specialists studied focus groups with furious
determination, thus producing such dumbed-down gems as "sisters are
different from brothers," the slogan used for an African-American hair
product. By the end of the decade, however, print ads had begun to
recoup, gaining in originality and creativity as they focused on target
audiences through carefully chosen placement in smaller publications.
A fascinating study of mass culture dissemination in a post-hippie,
television-obsessed nation, this weighty volume delivers an exhaustive
and nostalgic overview of 70s advertising.
