Consumerism transformed the American business system in the twentieth century. Mass marketing, advertising, and market research became increasingly important to reach potential customers. Hagley collections offer one-stop shopping for all things consumer culture history.
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Trade literature
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Order a new refrigerator with Hagley's trade literature collections. Produced by manufacturers, trade literature shows how goods developed and changed over time. Hagley has more than 40,000 trade catalogs, 3,500 trade cards, and myriad trade journals in its collections. |
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Market research |
Hold a focus group with consumer motivational research pioneer Ernest Dichter. His collection contains thousands of reports commissioned by ad agencies and manufacturers. These materials show how business shaped and was shaped by the rise of consumerism in the twentieth century. |
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Print and radio advertising |
Reach new audiences with the records of worldwide advertising agency network BBDO ( Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn Inc.). Study how they shaped public attitudes toward products and influenced sales and development. You’ll also find records from corporate advertising departments that reveal the power of marketing over time. |
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Sponsored and industrial film |
Go to the movies with Hagley's film collections! Industrial films were created to market products, promote industries, or showcase manufacturing processes. Hagley’s largest film collection is from Cinecraft, Inc. Founded in 1939, the production company is based in Cleveland, Ohio. |
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Product artifacts |
Discover the next big trend with Hagley's museum objects. Highlights include synthetic materials and household goods developed by DuPont. This includes the “first” nylon stocking—a game-changer in fashion history. |
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Consumer purchase studies |
Learn how folks lived during the Great Depression. From 1933 to 1936, the U.S. Bureau of Home Economics and Bureau of Labor Statistics teamed up with the Work Projects Administration to track American spending habits. Hagley holds copies of the published results. These provide a comprehensive snapshot of American consumption habits during the Great Depression. |
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Decorative arts |
What a lovely sewing table! Hagley preserves the collections of Louise du Pont Crowninshield. She was the final resident of the du Pont family home on our site. Her collecting efforts returned earlier du Pont furnishings to the home. To these she added glass, ceramics, furniture, and hooked rugs dating from 1775 to 1875. |
Research guidesLearn more about our collections relating to consumer culture history. |
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Food: Production and Consumption |
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"A Year's Supply of Food" image from DuPont's Better Living Magazine, November 1951 (Acc. 2015.206).
Explore FurtherSelected digital resources related to consumer culture history at Hagley. Ernest Dichter collections on market research Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn, Inc. records Sponsored and industrial motion picture film collection
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Top image credits (left to right): Image from California Perfume Company trade catalog, later Avon, 1916 (Call number f Trade Cat .C153 1916a). "Mmm - They're GOOD - in Cellophane" advertisement for DuPont Cellophane, 1949 (Acc. 1803). "Wearin' the World" jacket made from DuPont Tyvek and other synthetic materials, 1985-1990 (Object number 2015.10.1). Illustration for the first Chiquita banana commercial by the firm of Batten, Braton, Durstine & Osborn, Inc., circa 1948 (Acc. 2752).