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Hollywood Celebrities in Vintage Advertising

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Hollywood Celebrities from the Golden Age endorsed many products

During the Golden Age of Hollywood the movie stars were under contract with a particular movie studio and were required to do all sorts of things to help promote the studio and the films they starred in.

The top 5 studios during this era were MGM, Paramount, RKO, Warner Brothers, and 20th Century Fox. These studios often required the celebrities to advertise or endorse many types of products as a way to also promote the movie. Unlike stars of today who sign on with a company to endorse, back then it was a requirement of the studio to do so.

Image Credit: Scanned from Personal Collection of Celebrity Ads

Contents at a Glance

Hollywood And the Whitmans Chocolate Sam...
Celebrity Robert Young Sells Whitmans Ch...
Tobacco Companies Loved the Celebrities

Celebrity Gregory Peck Advertises Cheste...
Actress Loretta Young in RC Cola Ad in 1...
A PR Man Talks About Hollywood Celebriti...

Many celebrities over the years were used in Whitman Chocolate Sampler ads to both promote the candy and the movie they were starring in at the time.

To the right is Robert Taylor in a Sampler ad from 1952 also promoting his movie Quo Vadis. I have this ad in my personal collection of celebrity advertising.

Bob Hope, Van Johnson, and Robert Young also advertised the Whitman's Sampler chocolates

Celebrity Robert Young Sells Whitmans Chocolate Sampler

Tobacco Companies Loved the Celebrities

A really easy place to find ads with the celebrities of the Golden Age of Hollywood is in old tobacco and cigarette ads. Movie stars were used frequently to endorse Camels, Chesterfield, and Lucky Strike cigarettes.

The stars would promote their favorite brand (or at least the studio said it was) along with their latest movie. I find more Chesterfield cigarette ads with the stars of movies, radio, and television than any other brand.

Just a few notable stars found in Tobacco Ads:
Arthur Godfrey, Rock Hudson, Eva Gabor, Alan Ladd, Jane Wyman, Gregory Peck, Rory Calhoun, Rise Stevens, Kirk Douglas, Dean Martin, Virginia Mayo, Anne Baxter, Alexis Smith, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, Claudette Colbert, and Marlene Dietrich.

Celebrity Gregory Peck Advertises Chesterfield Cigarettes in 1950

Oddly enough, Coca Cola and Pepsi didn't seem too keen on the movie stars. Royal Crown Cola did want people to associate their brand of soft drinks with the stars and used them frequently.

Actress Loretta Young in RC Cola Ad in 1947

A PR Man Talks About Hollywood Celebrities

Leo Pearlstein's behind the scenes experiences with Hollywood Celebrities over the last 5 decades. Highlights over 200 nostalgic photos of many of Hollywood's biggest stars during his publicity campaigns which included advertising for companies. Includes photos of Hollywood Royalty such as Steve Allen, Mickey Rooney, Bob Hope, Phyllis Diller, Abbot & Costello, Groucho Marx, Dinah Shore, and others. A great overview of the public relations industry that is entertaining and educational.

Celebrity Stew

by: Leo Pearlstein

Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 02/18/2012)
List Price: $22.95

Usually ships in 1-2 business days

Actor Gene Autry Advertises B F Goodrich in 1950

Hollywood Celebrities In Ads And Flyers

There are many offerings of Hollywood celebrities in ads and flyers offered at the popular auction site, eBay.

Celebrities Advertised on Television Too!

Lucy and Desi for Lilt

Vintage Advertising Icons Are Celebrities Of Their Own Right

Not all of the icons of vintage advertising were from Hollywood. Many characters and even slogans in vintage ads became stars in their own time.

A Century of American Icons: 100 Products and Slogans from the 20th-Century Consumer Culture

by: Mary Cross

Amazon Price: $20.00 (as of 02/18/2012)
List Price: $20.00

Usually ships in 24 hours

Vintage Ads And Posters Promoted The Latest Movie

Of course there were always ads in magazines and posters promoting the latest movie of the Hollywood Celebrity. One of my favorites is of Audrey Hepburn.

Audrey Hepburn
Buy From Art.com

Hollywood Celebrities In Movie Posters

The popular auction site, eBay, offers many options of memorabilia of the old Hollywood celebrities promoting their latest movie back in the day along with current celebrities.

You Don't Have to be Vintage or a Hollywood Celebrity to Comment

Feel free to add your comments about your favorite celebrities, sites that you like, or just comment on the lens.

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astagirl Jul 26, 2011 @ 2:20 pm | delete

Love your lens!

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Gripandflip Feb 18, 2011 @ 12:05 am | delete

Anything vintage is okay by me. Great lens.

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fanfreluche Feb 13, 2011 @ 7:26 am | delete

Well this is something we won't see anymore: actors promoting cigarettes! I love everything vintage, and vintage ads makes and interesting collection. Blessed by the resident collecting memorabilia squidoo angel!

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najem Jan 31, 2011 @ 3:01 am | delete

I really like your lens :) Vintage is back!

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gunsock Jan 25, 2011 @ 8:43 am | delete

Great lens. The Golden Age from a different angle. Many thanks!

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DaveStone13 Dec 15, 2010 @ 8:32 am | delete

Got a kick out of this one too. You do amazing research, show your items and comment just as appropriate. I'm more wordy, but I enjoy these. Good luck!

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WildFacesGallery Nov 28, 2010 @ 8:07 am | delete

Always surprising in this day and age all the smoking ads and how it was sexy. Intersting change in the times.

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Sami4u Sep 20, 2010 @ 9:27 am | delete

Hi,

Look at all those stars that smoked. I think we also had a actor turned president, that did ads for Chesterfield. The line that I laughed at all the time is "More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette." :)

Reply

TheWhistler Mar 21, 2010 @ 12:10 pm | delete

I guess the reason a chocolate company didn't use Lucy is because she was under contract to Phillip Morris. There is nothing to stop a chocolate company from using that skit nowadays. In fact I think it is a very good idea. Thanks for the lens.

Reply

Joan4 Jan 28, 2010 @ 8:12 pm | delete

Oh I remember Lucy and Desi doing those commercials! What fun! Delightful! Does this mean I am now vintage? I think it does!
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