The past in Australian advertising, 1906–2010

Abstract

The past is just one device used in advertisements to attract the attention of the consumer. This article examines Australian advertising's use of the past, asking when and how it has been used and what histories have been invoked. Based on a study of the magazine Australia To-day from 1905–63 and supplemented by interviews with contemporary advertising creatives who have also used the past, the article finds that Australian advertising has always drawn from a narrow repertoire of pasts, and that these usually have little connection to the product or brand. The use of the past in the Australia To-day advertisements reveals a great deal about the historical contexts in which they were conceived. Future scholars might find that today's advertisements provide a similar record.

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