Chess & Advertising

Submitted by bosco on Mon, 06/30/2008 at 12:44pm.

Advertising With A Chess Theme. Chess is so much a part of our culture that chess terms are frequently used metaphorically: stalemate, the "global chessboard," etc. Not surprisingly, this motif was used in advertising during the hot and cold wars of the mid-20th century.

  In the days before television invaded our homes, games were a common form of entertainment. It even became a popular motif in advertising, especially for alcohol and tobacco products. Among certain people, chess has the aura of intellectualism, the "smart" thing to do. (Chessplayers know better.) That image is reflected in the consumer-oriented ads. Advertisers are copy-cats, of course. So as soon as one agency began a campaign with a chess theme, other agencies no doubt quickly followed suit.

Note the preponderance of ads for alcoholic beverages. Do you play better when you’re drinking?

Included here is a promotional shot for a popular television show of the 1970s, "Charlie's Angels." Draw your own conclusions about the meaning of that one.


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Comments:

by Springs420 - 5 months ago
Calgary, Alberta Canada
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 87
Nice collection!
by Maradonna - 5 months ago
Scotland
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 1256
Great pictures! I have a huge urge to go binge drinking and smoke tabs - so just a normal day in Scotland really :)

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