✈️ How American Airlines Shaped Advertising in the 1940s

The 1940s, known as the “Golden Age” of travel, was a fascinating period for airline advertising because:

• Post war boom: The end of WWII saw a surge of economic prosperity and technological advancements, particularly in aviation.

• Romanticizing air travel: Airline ads from the 1940s often portrayed air travel as glamorous and luxurious, targeting the wealthy and business travelers. Modern advertisers can learn to craft compelling narratives that turn a product or service into an aspirational experience.

• Use of art and illustration: During this era, advertising heavily relied on art and illustrations to capture the imagination of potential travelers. This approach can teach today's advertisers the power of visual storytelling.

In my opinion, few companies did this as well as American Airlines:

👀 Capture attention with strong visual hooks

Today, we call these “Scroll Stoppers.”

Purpose: To make your content stand out and grab your audience’s attention amidst a sea of other information.

Key to making great visual hooks: They must also communicate your key message.

Here’s a great example from American Airlines (1948) that is visually striking, piques curiosity, but also communicate the key message that they fly all year round.

Below is another nice example from 1947 that uses data creatively.