Advertising in the Age of Persuasion: Building Brand America, 1941-1961

During the 1940s and 1950s, American advertisers made themselves vital to business, media, government, and religious institutions.  They envisioned an American-led global consumer order supported by advertising based media where the brand took precedence over the corporation that owned it, and advertising, propaganda, and public relations were considered the same thing.  To support these ideas and ensure that the advertising industry remained of value, they established relationships with the federal government and national security agencies, developing a network and process for disseminating persuasive information that survives into the twenty-first century.