Ads: Finding Historical & Contemporary Advertisements

Primary demand advertising attempts to drive demand for a type of product and not on a particular brand. Primary demand advertising is often sponsored by industry and professional organizations and is used by companies who are trying to increase the popularity of a type of product that needs to establish or re-establish its position in the market. 

Famous Example of a primary demand ad campaign: 

40th Anniversary - American Egg Board

Selective demand advertising attempts to position a particular brand, and its products and services, as the best for a certain targeted market. Selective demand advertisements present brand benefits that the company hopes will cause particular customers to choose its products over those of a competing brand.

Search Strategy

• Make a list of examples with which you are already familiar
• Google search for names of industry organizations
• Think about what market might be targeted? Women? Health Interest? Men? 
• Identify consumer magazines that match the target by browsing our Periodicals by Title and Subject guide (link below)

Consumer ads target consumers. They appear in consumer magazines, newspapers, websites and other media. Magazines are often themselves targeted to certain consumer segments, such as gender, race, lifestyle and income. 

Search strategy

• Come of with a list of product types and their brands
• Think about to whom they are marketed
• Identify magazines for that market segment in the Periodicals by Title and Subject guide (link below)
• Visit our Periodicals Department and request issues of the magazines you have selected. 

Trade ads target members of a profession or industry. They appear in trade journals, magazines, websites and other media

Search Strategy

• Browse our Periodicals by Title and Subject guide (link below) 
• Look for current magazines marked "trade"