Great American Billboards: 100 Years of History by the Side of the Road

In 1908, Henry Ford introduced the world to his first Model T automobile, and with only 150 miles of paved road in America, the American billboard industry first took hold. Billboard advertising is unlike any other advertising in that the sponsor has only a few split seconds to get his message across. By nature, billboards have historically been about immediacy and impact. One need only look through Fred Basten's chronicle, "Great American Billboards" to see the sudden impact an advertiser's message must convey to be an effective marketing tool. Basten's quest began at a 1995 luncheon where he was introduced to Joe Blackstock, the historian for the famed outdoor advertising company Foster and Kleiser. By gaining access to F & K's vaults. Basten was able to assemble what may be the most comprehensive catalog of billboard photos throughout the 20th Century. From the early days of motorcars and now defunct consumer goods companies, to the years of the war effort of WWII ("Smash the Axis. Pay Your Taxes") liquor, movie ads and cigarettes (including the famous Camel smoking billboard in Times Square) America's billboards reflect the times we live in. Basten chronicles the evolution of outdoor advertising from one-color product shots and clever slogans from the 20's and 30's to the 70's era 'less is more' statements to the 80's and 90's versions of the construction board, where three dimensional installations were used to expand the borders of the traditional board to grab drivers attention. (Shamu, anyone?) Unfortunately, most of the book relies on Basten's access to one company's archives and thus it's examples are more limited than they might otherwise be, but 'Great American Billboards' is nonetheless a look at our consumer society from a unique historical perspective.