Retro Ride: Advertising Art of the American Automobile

A century ago the motorcar was a cantankerous, frail device that was difficult for all but a few visionaries to perceive as practical. By 1920, that picture had changed dramatically, and the automobile was well on its way to becoming the dominant transportation device in this country. However, the evolution of practical automobiles is only part of the story. In order to take advantage of mass production there had to be mass markets, and that meant advertising. RETRO RIDE traces the evolution of the automobile and the simultaneous marketing messages that helped it flower across five decades—the Roaring Twenties through the Go-Go Sixties. Beautifully illustrated with original advertisements, Retro Ride celebrates not only the beauty and diversity of the American automobile but also the heyday of American print advertising. It’s a ride well worth the taking.