Botheclipsedandinfluencedbytelevision,Americanprintadsofthe1970sdepartedfromthebold,graphicformsandsubtlemessagesthatweretypicaloftheirsixtiescounterparts.Moreliteral,morein-your-face,70sadssoughttocapturetheattentionofapublicaccustomedtoblaring,to-the-pointTVcommercials.Allwasnotlost,though;asadsareasignofthetimes,racialandecologicalawarenesscreptintoeverythingfromcigarettetocaradvertisements,remindingAmericansthateverydayproductswerehiptothemodernage.Inanattempttodiscoverhowbesttocommunicatewithamassaudience,marketingspecialistsstudiedfocusgroupswithfuriousdetermination,thusproducingsuchdumbed-downgemsas“sistersaredifferentfrombrothers,“thesloganusedforanAfrican-Americanhairproduct.Bytheendofthedecade,however,printadshadbeguntorecoup,gaininginoriginalityandcreativityastheyfocusedontargetaudiencesthroughcarefullychosenplacementinsmallerpublications.Afascinatingstudyofmassculturedisseminationinapost-hippie,television-obsessednation,thisweightyvolumedeliversanexhaustiveandnostalgicoverviewof70sadvertising.
