Finding Advertisements
We are constantly bombarded with advertisements in our daily life but finding them for scholarly work can be intimidating. To narrow your search for advertisements, ask yourself a few questions before you start:
- Time period: Which years do you want to find advertisements from?
- Type of media: What advertising format are you looking for? Newspaper? Magazine? Radio? Television? Internet?
- Company or specific product: Do you want advertising over time for a company or specific ads for certain lines or products?
The resources below will help you find advertisements, both historic and current.
Advertising Collections on the Web
- Ad*Access"Funded by the Duke Endowment 'Library 2000' Fund, presents images and database information for over 7,000 advertisements printed in U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955. Ad*Access concentrates on five main subject areas: Radio, Television, Transportation, Beauty and Hygiene, and World War II, providing a coherent view of a number of major campaigns and companies through images preserved in one particular advertising collection available at Duke University."
- AdViews"AdViews is a digital archive of thousands of vintage television commercials dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. These commercials were created or collected by the ad agency Benton & Bowles or its successor, D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles (DMB&B)."
- Ad Forum"Since 1999, AdForum has provided advertising agencies and production companies a digital space to showcase their creative work and talents to brands and prospective new business partners." This collection includes "Best of" and "Most Viewed" categories. Select "Ads" from the website and narrow to your interests.
- Ads of the WorldA free online "advertising archive and community showcasing campaigns from around the world." Part of the CLIO network and searchable by medium, industry, and country.
- The Advertising ArchivesCollection of British and American advertisements, illustrations, posters, and vintage magazines from pre-1900 to current.
- The Emergence of Advertising in America: 1850-1920This Duke University Libraries collection presents "over 3,300 advertising items and publications dating from 1850 to 1920, illustrating the rise of consumer culture and the birth of a professionalized advertising industry in the United States."
- AdClassix.comThis retailer of vintage advertisements has a wide-reaching collection of over 1 million ads from the 20th Century.
Other Web Resources
- Internet ArchiveThis website has a variety of media including television and radio commercials. Search using the search box below the Way Back Machine search box. This may also include results from the resources listed above.
- YouTubeMany television advertisements can be found on YouTube. A general search may be enough (e.g. GEICO) or you can add additional terms (e.g. GEICO pig ad).
- UX TimelineResearch compiled from Wayback Machine and Google Images showing UX changes for popular communication platforms.
Databases and Periodicals
- Esquire Magazine Archive (1933-2014) This link opens in a new windowEsquire Magazine Archive, 1933-2014, delivers coverage of the award-winning American men’s magazine in the areas of politics, men’s fashion, entertainment, fiction and pop culture. It includes more than 900 issues providing a broad view of 20th-Century American thought through cultural and current events. Esquire Magazine Archive is valuable to researchers of 20th-Century current events, gender issues, politics and culture, the history of business, advertising, and more.
- People Magazine Archive (1974-2000) This link opens in a new windowPresents an extensive collection of the prominent, popular magazine dating from its very first issue in March, 1974 through December, 2000, in a comprehensive cover-to-cover format. the magazine has focused on the stories of people in and behind the news. Each issue contains a blend of celebrity and human interest stories. Taken as a whole, the archive chronicles popular culture and trends over time.
- Sports Illustrated Magazine Archive (1954-2001) This link opens in a new windowpresents an extensive collection of the popular sports magazine dating from its very first issue in August, 1954 through December, 2001, presented in a comprehensive cover-to-cover format. The magazine has aimed to chronicle the weekly events in the world of sports. Each issue originally focused on more upper-class sporting activities such as polo and boating, but in the 1960s the magazine expanded its focus to include the increasingly popular professional sports of baseball, football, and, eventually, basketball.
- Time Magazine Archive (1923-2000) This link opens in a new windowThe Time Magazine Archive presents an extensive collection of the prominent weekly news magazine dating back to its first issue in March 1923 through December 2000, presented in a comprehensive cover-to-cover format. Time contains reports of national and international current events, politics, sports, and entertainment. Capturing the relevant news for a given week, the magazine remains an important resource for researchers studying just about any aspect of 20th-Century history and life. Front and back covers as well as all articles and advertisements contained in the original publication are included.
- Vogue Archive This link opens in a new windowA complete searchable archive of American Vogue, from the first issue in 1892 to the current month.
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