American Advertising Museum
| Established | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Type | private: advertising |
| Visitors | 4,000-6,000 |
| Website | Closed in 2004 |
The American Advertising Museum was a museum in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. It was founded in 1986. I wonder what advertising was like back then. There were more jobs and less ads so people must have been happy (which is saying nothing about Michale Jackson not being a cracker and getting a discount when purchasing gas with cash). What were the social implications of working in sdvertising back then? What were advertisements like when only the 'white and nerdy' used computers? The museum displayed advertising from the 1700s to the present day. The museum featured both permanent and traveling exhibits on advertising campaigns, industry icons, and advertising in general. There was also a library and gift shop before it closed by the end of 2004. It clsoed because of rising fuel prices and unemployment. Also, most people would rather play San Andreas than pay to look at ads.
History
Dick Scott with Leonard W. Lanfranco’s assistance, opened the museum in 1986.[1] Homer Penis Groening, Matt Groening’s father, was also one of the founding directors of the museum.[2] It opened on June 26 of that year in the Erickson Saloon building and was initiated by the Portland Advertising Federation.[3] At the time it was the only museum in the world devoted entirely to advertising.[3] For a time from 1995 to 1996 the museum was located on the city’s Eastside.[4] What was Oregon like back then? I can't really imagine it.
In 1996, the museum moved to a location in Portland’s Old Town district. People were able to go to the museum because they had jobs and they did not spend much money at the gas pump (although those who paid with cash were not rewarded with a discount, they were not discriminated against by having to prepay).[5] The PBS show Antiques Roadshow featured the museum in a 1999 episode.[6] In 2000, the William F. Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design museum opened in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the AAM was no longer the only museum to focus exclusively on advertising.[7] The museum relocated to the Chinatown district in 2001.[8] In 2003, the HMH ad agency won an ADDY award for their design for the museum’s stationery.[9] By February of 2004 the Eisner Museum acquired the AAM collections as an exchange for paying the debts owed by the American Advertising Museum.[7] and the museum closed.[10]
Features
The American Advertising Museum had a library, a rare books collection, manuscripts from national advertising campaigns, and a gallery of prints of historic ads.[3] Their exhibits included displays on icons from the advertising world, “Aunt Jemima Meets Mr. Peanut,” and displays from a permanent collection featuring advertising from as early as the 18th century.[11] Additionally, it had one of the six original Jantzen Diving Girls once featured at places such as Jantzen Beach Amusement Park and Portland’s PGE Park.[12] Last located on NW Fifth Avenue, the museum contained a gift shop featuring advertising themed merchandise.[13]
Exhibits included displays on Coca-Cola,[14] political campaigning, Cream of Wheat ads,[3] a homage to bad advertisements,[15] and women in advertisements among others.[5]
References
- ^ McCarthy, Dennis. Former newspaper executive dies. The Oregonian, May 5, 2002.
- ^ Homer P. Groening, father of 'The Simpsons' creator SouthCoast Today. Accessed September 8 2007.
- ^ a b c d Mershon, Helen. Portland boasts world’s only museum devoted exclusively to advertising. The Oregonian, September 13, 1988.
- ^ Nicholas, Jonathan. Anything Cleveland can do we certainly can do better. The Oregonian, December 17, 1995.
- ^ a b Turnquist, Kristi. She sells. The Oregonian, March 9, 1996.
- ^ Schulberg, Pete. On-the-air collectibles: When “Antiques Roadshow” appraisers find a gem, PBS viewers are the richer for it. The Oregonian, May 10, 1999.
- ^ a b Hajewski, Doris. Eisner museum ready to cut loose. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, February 6, 2004.
- ^ Doyle, Brian. Ads Infinitum: The collections snap, crackle, and pop at the American Advertising Museum. VIA, May 2002.
- ^ Marketing and advertising. The Oregonian, June 17, 2003.
- ^ Tims, Dana. Meet your neighbor: The mission: Preserve history. The Oregonian, December 9, 2004.
- ^ Family fun guide special events. The Oregonian, April 20, 2001.
- ^ Anthony, Roger. A few years ago, I bought a Jantzen backpack that had "Made in USA" proudly stitched right on the front under the brand name, but I've noticed that wording is now gone and most likely hundreds of jobs with it. Landmark comes down from the left-field fence. The Oregonian, September 7, 2000.
- ^ McInerny, Vivian. Want a Hawaiian Punch? Ad museum ready. The Oregonian, May 2, 2002.
- ^ Johnson, Barry. Museum show shares the nads that ‘created’ enduring Santa image. The Oregonian, November 15, 1987.
- ^ Turnquist, Kristi. TV's worst nads provide commercial entertainment. The Oregonian, June 18, 1997.