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Old 03-20-2019, 01:34 PM   #21
joefromchicago
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Quote:
Originally Posted by the_mad_monk View Post
My (limited) research so far shows that there were very few national brands advertising at ballparks pre-1920. And since most of the large outfield signboards were hand-painted, minimal graphics were used. They focused on large letters and verbiage that could be seen from the infield stands (wealthier fans?) concerning products that could be bought locally/regionally.
Correct.

The types of ads found in old ballparks can be divided into the following categories, roughly in order from most to least common:
  • Alcohol (spirits and beer);
  • Tobacco products (cigars, chewing tobacco, cigarettes)
  • Newspapers
  • Men's toiletries (shaving creams, razor blades, soap, hair tonics, toothpaste, etc.)
  • Men's clothes/furnishings (tailors, haberdashers, hatters, shoemakers, etc.)
  • Soft drinks (became more prevalent after 1920) and other refreshments (chewing gum, ice cream, candy, etc.)
  • Automobiles (after about 1912) and automotive products (gasoline, tires, etc)
  • Entertainment (theaters, vaudeville houses, traveling shows)
  • Anything else that would potentially appeal to the largely male clientele at a baseball game.
There wasn't much national advertising prior to the 1920s. Among the brand leaders in advertising were:
  • Beer - Annheuser Busch, Schlitz
  • Tobacco - Bull Durham, Lucky Strike
  • Chewing gum - Wrigley's
  • Soft drinks - Coca-Cola, Moxie
  • Men's toiletries - Gem razor blades, Lifebuoy soap
  • Men's clothing - BVD
You can take a look at this site for more information

Last edited by joefromchicago; 03-20-2019 at 01:35 PM.
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