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Market Crash Madness! A Gallery of Depression-Era Car Ads

Depression Era Car Ads
1938 Graham

Though American automobile industry was fully established–and thriving–by the time the 1920s rolled around, the auto business was still relatively young when the Great Depression settled upon the nation at the tail end of that free-wheeling decade. After an extended period of economic growth and prosperity, carmakers found themselves needing to retool their carefully crafted advertising to cope with the new realities of severe economic turmoil.

Toward the end of October 1929, the stock market suffered a 25-percent drop in value over just two days. Public confidence in the economy quickly eroded, as even banking and industry barons failed to right the downward plunge in stock values. Thus began a decade-long period of stunted economic growth, and, for many Americans, considerable hardship.

The buying public, even those who remained gainfully employed, became wary of large purchases–especially automobiles. To compensate for this shift in consumer habits, automakers were largely forced to abandon ad programs designed to promote performance and luxury, and instead began calling attention to modest starting prices and low costs of operation.

It seems odd now to see Chrysler and Pontiac ads promoting those vehicles as part of the “low-priced field.”

And though Lincoln advertising of the time seemed to ignore the county’s fragile economic climate, even Packard ads yielded to the need to justify the cost of the luxury automaker’s cars. One ad below touts Packard’s “$100 price reduction,” and a payment plan.

For your consideration, we have collected 20 Depression-era car ads–give them a look and tell us what you think. Strange times, indeed.

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1930 Ford Truck

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1932 Chevrolet

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1933 Dodge

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1933 Pontiac

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1934 Ford

1934 Ford Ad

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1934 Packard

1934 Packard Ad

 

1934 Pontiac

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1934 Pontiac

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1935 Hudson

1935 Hudson Ad

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1935 Plymouth

1935 Plymouth Ad

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1936 Nash

1936 Nash Ad

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1936 Cadillac

1936 Cadillac Ad

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1937 Cadillac

1937 Cadillac Ad

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1938 Chrysler

1938 Chrysler Ad

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1938 Graham

1938 Graham Ad

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1938 Packard

1938 Packard Ad

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1938 Plymouth

1938 Plymouth Ad

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1938 Studebaker

1938 Studebaker Ad

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1939 Oldsmobile

1939 Oldsmobile Ad

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1939 Plymouth

1939 Plymouth Ad

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Depression-Era Car Ads

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