American Consumer Culture: Market Research and American Business, 1935-1965 - Contains thousands of reports commissioned by companies such as Philip Morris, Chrysler, Exxon and CBS on consumer goods ranging from tobacco and broadcasting to cars and hotels. Features the complete market research reports of Ernest Dichter, the era’s foremost consumer analyst and market research pioneer.
American Consumer Culture: Trade Catalogues and the American Home, 1850-1950 - Advertisements reflecting one hundred years of changing commercial tastes and consumer trends, attitudes towards race, the family and domestic sphere, and advancements in technology. Includes trade catalogues, cards and marketing ephemera.
Even though this database focuses on business, remember every technology has to be bought and sold. This database has good coverage from the mid 1970s on.
Variety of magazines freely available from Google. Be warned there is not any easy way to print or save. Titles can searched by keyword or flipped through.
Access the digital collections of Duke's Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising, & Marketing History. The collections include TV ads, print ads, papers of advertising firms, and collections focused on specific products.
