World War Brands: World War II and the Rise of the Modern American Brand

How the Modern American Brand was Born

World War II had a profound impact on American brands. In addition to brands directly aligning their products with the war effort, some brands used the war as a clever way to engender positive perceptions by distributing products to American forces. Other brands actually had their roots in the war.

Just as important, the post-war economy led to the rise of the American middle class. The war fueled strong economic growth that turned the country into a major global force. Post-war America became a bubbling cauldron of scores of inventive, innovative brands. When television came along, marketing those brands rose to a whole new level.

Brand marketing expert Barry Silverstein traces the development of the American brand from World War I through the 1920s and 1930s. Then he explores the interrelationship of World War II and American brands, showing how the war itself was "branded," how brand advertisers leveraged the war, and how the post-war economy helped birth the modern brand. Included are scores of stories about some of the best-known brands of the '40s and '50s.

Silverstein concludes the book by examining brands in the context of American post-war culture, moving from the war's end into the 1950s and 1960s. He demonstrates how the consumerism of post-war America led quite directly to the birth of breakthrough brands and modern brand marketing strategies. Many brands from this time have survived and thrived into the 21st Century.

In this book you'll learn:
How Coca-Cola, Disney and other great American brands played an integral role in World War II
Why some American brands chose to do business with Nazi Germany
How television influenced the rise of the modern American brand
Plus, see 38 vintage ads that reflect the wartime economy.

This unique book takes a fresh look at the impact of World War II on America from a marketing perspective. History and brand buffs alike will be enthralled by WORLD WAR BRANDS!

The Buzz About WORLD WAR BRANDS

...Silverstein is keenly aware of the centrality of branding to 20th-century advertising. Three dozen print-ad reproductions complement the book's engaging writing style... Overall, it's a convincing history about the role of World War II in developing brand consciousness among consumers in the United States.
- Kirkus Reviews

Silverstein brings into focus the evolution of products and trends started a hundred years ago that still hugely influence us today. ...The beauty of this book is that it awakens us to the seemingly invisible world we inhabit. We are so inured to advertisements, billboards, jingles, slogans and propaganda that we don't notice how they slip seamlessly into our minds and decisions. Advertising affects the way we live, what choices we make, where we spend our money and how we mold our perceptions. After reading, "World War Brands" you may never look at your favorite brands in the same way. What do I think of this book? In the words of Tony the Tiger, a brand superstar, "It's Gr-r-r-r-r-eat"!
- 5 star review by Sherry Tuffin, Reedsy Discovery

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