The Golden Age of Advertising - The 70s (Taschen 25) [Hardcover]

Jim Heimann (Editor), Steven Heller (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2006 | Series: Taschen 25

Both eclipsed and influenced by television, American print ads of the 1970s departed from the bold, graphic forms and subtle messages that were typical of their sixties counterparts. More literal, more in-your-face, 70s ads sought to capture the attention of a public accustomed to blaring, to-the-point TV commercials (even VW ads, known for their witty, ironic statements and minimalist designs, lost some of their punch in the 1970s). All was not lost, though; as ads are a sign of the times, racial and ecological awareness crept into everything from cigarette to car advertisements, reminding Americans that everyday products were hip to the modern age. By the end of the decade, print ads had begun to recoup, gaining in originality and creativity as they focused on target audiences through carefully chosen placement in smaller publications. A fascinating study of mass culture dissemination in a post-hippie, television-obsessed nation, this weighty volume delivers an exhaustive and nostalgic overview of 70s advertising.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jim Heimann is a resident of Los Angeles, a graphic designer, writer, historian, and instructor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He is the author of numerous books on architecture, popular culture, and Hollywood history. Steven Heller is art director of the New York Times Book Review and co-chair of the MFA/Design program at the School of Visual Arts. He is the author and editor of over 80 books on graphic design and popular culture, including The Graphic Design Reader, Paul Rand, From Merz to Emigre and Beyond: Avant Garde Magazine Design of the 20th Century, and Citizen Design: Perspectives on Design Responsibility.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 351 pages
• Publisher: Taschen; 25th edition (February 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3822850810
• ISBN-13: 978-3822850817
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 7.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #605,247 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jim Heimann is a resident of Los Angeles, a graphic designer, writer, historian, and instructor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He is the author of numerous books on architecture, popular culture, and Hollywood history, and serves as a consultant to the entertainment industry.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Age of Cigarettes and Hi-fi's, September 15, 2009

By 

M. Randol (Merced, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Golden Age of Advertising - The 70s (Taschen 25) (Hardcover)

I was a voracious magazine reader as a kid so I remember almost all of the ads in this book. Yes, the ads were ugly but you buy this book for the nostalgia, not the actual ads. Every time you turn a page, you'll have a memory hurtling out of your subconscious of something you haven't thought about for years. You'll smile and remember how simple life was when everything was on 8-track. You think "sex sells" now?!! I can't believe how risque most of this stuff was for its day! So, if you're a baby-boomer, and I'm one of the last of that generation born in the 60s, you will really enjoy this book. It's easy to pick and put down since you're really only looking at pictures. This is a fun book to pass along to your boomer friends, too. Share the love.

4.0 out of 5 stars great reference book for visual artists, April 26, 2011

By 

Jeff Aski (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Golden Age of Advertising - The 70s (Taschen 25) (Hardcover)

I dabble with photography and graphic design every now and so often and I found myself using this book for inspiration. It's a wonderful compilation of ads and 70s artwork that gives me vivid ideas for color palettes and texture. I've even used some of these images for direct reference when I was color correcting a few pictures in Photoshop. Love this book.

4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An inexpensive, convenient record, May 23, 2007

By 

James Hunter - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Golden Age of Advertising - The 70s (Taschen 25) (Hardcover)

As the preface to this book points out, print advertising in the 70s was ugly and uninspired. The book does an excellent job of presenting a variety of ugly advertisements, for ugly products, that support this assertion.

I recommend this book to anyone who is curious what advertising looked like 30 years ago, or if you want to see if advertising from the 70s was as bad as you remember (it is!).