Why Advertise in Wartime (Waste of Paper)?

Actually that is a very good point; I hadn’t really taken much note of the date of the magazine…

…published five days after the most significant event of the war.

When these advertisements were purchased the US was still neutral but British purchasing of US built aircraft was at its peak so this US manufacturer would want to keep their profile as high as possible in Britain.

I believe Rolls-Royce are still in the aero-engine business! :diablo:

& Martin are part of Lockheed..

And remember also that the magazines depend on the income from the advertising to publish. Without the ads cover prices would have needed to rise enormously.
Moggy

Indeed, the average Sunday paper would cost close to $200 without advertising…

Lodge Plugs now trade as Morgan Advanced Ceramics and in 2005 moved from their wartime site but are still based in Rugby. During the war they operated a shadow factory in Olney, Northamptonshire that has recently been converted to flats but it still carries the painted ‘Lodge Plugs’ sign in a welcome act of industrial preservation (see photo).

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/288591

There is an interesting quote on their website, from President Roosevelt no less:

…before and during the Battle of Britain, when the R.A.F. had to work its out-numbered planes around the clock and the Spitfire and Hurricane engines got punishing treatment, the British developed a new type airplane spark plug…

Since early in 1943 virtually every United States Flying Fortress has taken off from British bases with these plugs in each of its four engines. It would be impossible to estimate how many thousand United States bomber crews may since then have owed their lives to these spark plugs, but the performance record of the plugs speaks for itself.

And remember also that the magazines depend on the income from the advertising to publish. Without the ads cover prices would have needed to rise enormously.

It is in the manufacturers’ interests to keep the editorial departments of industry journals on-side. Supporting their employer with advertising is a good (and legitimate) way to do this.

Moggy

The hight of war production would also have been the best time for advertisements.

With all the contracts flying around, you had to get your name out there, so the decision makers knew about you. War is not as bad for business as it might sound.

For civilian products, the marked became smaller, so they had even more reason to advertise their wares. If you buy one bar of soap this month, make sure its X brand.

Is there any possibility of posting a few of the adds?

Oh, any of these companies still going?

I believe Rolls-Royce are still in the aero-engine business! :diablo:

I suspect that many of the firms that you listed are still in business but have changed their ‘core products’ or are trading under a different name following mergers (Bristol aero-engines, Blackburn Aircraft) or buy-outs.

I recognise the name Tecalemit who are manufacturers and suppliers of garage workshop equipment (jacks, workshop lifts, engine diagnostics) and this may be related to their wartime trade of (hydraulic?) hoses.

Lodge Plugs are still in the aviation (and spark plug / ceramics) business but are probably better known as Smiths Industries (although they recently sold some of their business interests) and as far as I know still own their site in Rugby where many wartime plugs were made; the building carried its wartime camouflage last time I saw it and probably still does!

Bendix is a name certainly associated with brakes and Dunlop still manufacture aircraft tyres (and braking systems) for the A380 and Typhoon for example.

Napier (engines) were taken over by MAN (how ironic!) but I think the Napier name still lives on as a turbo / supercharger manufacturer.

Edit: Smiths Aerospace (formed after the takeover of TI aerospace division, including Dowty ROTOL) was sold to General Electric renamed GE Aviation Systems in May 2007.

American firms also did wartime advertising in general interest and popular magazines.
Many had reminders to buy war bonds, but like Dave Homewood, I suspect the real purpose behind them were to remind consumers that comsumer product firms (like auto companies and civil aircraft firms like Piper) would be back producing civil goods after the war; remind shareholders they were busy; and public image enhancement for future customers and shareholders.

Many firm put out ads with great artwork and some of the best period illustrations of wartime aircraft came from these.

Prince of Darkness

Well Lucas missed a great opp:

Lucas Electrics – marking the blackout easy!

Cheers

Mark

Don’t forget many of these companies would have been competing for defence contracts. Any advertising is good advertising.

Many other companies not related to the war effort continued to advertise even when their products were unavailable due to shortages. They used slogans that reminded people they might not be on the shelves right now but in better times they’ll be back. It’s all about keeping their brand in people’s minds. No doubt many companies went out of business during the war due to loss of staff or assets, and as Denis says, it would have been a fair bit about morale and giving confidence for their customers and their staff.

Probably as much to do with morale and letting people know that they are still there, in business despite the blitz, and producing for the war effort.
‘Britain can take it’ attitude at its finest!