Teenage Consumers (1950s)

Kraft's Telephone Contest (1956)

The emergence of teenagers as a demographic was not seen in advertisements during the 1940s but due to the post-World War II economic boom—thanks to the increased availability of disposable income—teenagers were seen using the telephone during the 1950s. With more money to spend, teenagers became a market for companies selling products. Kraft's telephone contest was just one example of a marketing strategy aimed at this new demographic. By promoting the telephone as a way for teenagers to stay connected, Kraft tapped into the desire for socialization and communication among this age group. Additionally, the use of romantic imagery in one of the advertisements highlighted the potential for the phone to facilitate relationships between teenagers, further increasing the appeal of a telephone just for themselves. Overall, the 1950s marked a significant shift in advertising strategies as companies began to recognize the growing purchasing power and influence of teenagers.

In 1956, Kraft, an American food company, created a contest and the reward was a telephone and telephone service. In these Kraft advertisements (see Fig. 1, 2, 3) there are two teenagers on the phone on each advertisement. In Figures 1 and 2, their message is that with a telephone, teenagers can talk to each other no matter the distance. In Figure 1 the telephone is placed between the boy and the girl to represent that although there is distance, the device can connect them. In Figure 3, there are two teenagers, a girl and a boy, leaning into each other, giving each other a small glance, and there are hearts around their heads. This image is telling the viewer that the phone has the potential for romance and is a good way for teenagers to talk to their special someone. Kraft saw that there was a market for teenagers and utilized their desire for the product as a way to market their own company.

The newspaper article “Youth at the Dial” (1956) written by George Flynn captures the desire teenagers had for telephone use. The article begins by discussing the growing popularity of the telephone amongst teenagers, and that it is not a luxury that they should be excluded from. Flynn discusses the advantages of telephones for interactions among teenagers because, with the help of the telephone, they can engage in personal conversations with their friends and romantic partners. This article goes on to say: “What do they talk about? Girls: ‘Boys,’ mostly. Boys: ‘What's doing,’ meaning swimming, baseball, who's got a new car—and girls.” The article also contains quotes from a small group of teenagers sharing how much time they spend on the phone every day. Many of the girls say that they enjoy having long conversations whereas the boys prefer to keep it brief. This provides a sense of the youth culture and the social lives of teenagers during the 1950s.