Smithsonian World/WETA "Selling the Dream" Collection
name: label: Producer
content: Smithsonian World
label: Names
content: Center for Advertising History (U.S.)
label: Names
content: Grey Advertising.
label: Names
content: Mitsubishi
label: Names
content: WETA
label: Names
content: Wieden & Kennedy
label: Names
content: Gitlin, Todd
label: Names
content: Marchand, Roland
label: Names
content: Oda, Frances
label: Names
content: Ogilvy, David
label: Names
content: Pertshuk, Michael
label: Names
content: Polykoff, Shirley
topic: label: Topic
content: Stereotypes (Social psychology) in advertising
label: Topic
content: Symbolism in advertising
label: Topic
content: Wit and humor in advertising
label: Topic
content: Sex role in advertising
label: Topic
content: Television advertising
label: Topic
content: advertising
acqinfo: label: Provenance
content: Collection donated by Smithsonian World through executive producer Sandra Bradley, in August 1991.
creator: label: Producer
content: Smithsonian World
setName: label: See more items in
content: Smithsonian World/WETA "Selling the Dream" Collection
abstract: label: Summary
content: The collection documents "Selling the Dream" was an hour long television documentary that aired in early 1991 as part of the public television series, Smithsonian World.
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: "Selling the Dream" was an hour-long television documentary that aired in early 1991 as part of the public television series "Smithsonian World." The program traces the evolution of advertising from the late 19th century through the creative revolution of the 1960s to explore how advertising both influences and reflects American culture. In addition to historical imagery, the program follows a contemporary Mitsubishi GT3000 automobile advertising campaign from conception to production. The program features interviews with the men and women who created the advertising as well as with scholars, historians, industry advocates and government officials who comment on the role and history of advertising in a comsumer culture. "Selling the Dream" was underwritten by Southwestern Bell and co-produced by WETA and the Smithsonian Institution. The Center for Advertising History served as a resource and consultant to the producers.
physdesc: label: Extent
content: 23 Cubic feet (16 boxes)
unitdate: label: Date
content: 1990-1991
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.0418
objectType: label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Archival materials
label: Type
content: Audiovisual materials
label: Type
content: Oral history
label: Type
content: Motion pictures (visual works)
label: Type
content: Transcripts
label: Type
content: Interviews
label: Type
content: Press releases
arrangement: label: Arrangement
content: The collection is divided into two series. 

Series 1:  Film

Series 2: Documentary Material
processinfo: label: Processing Information
content: This collection was processed by Mimi L. Minnick, archivist, 1991.
genre_format: label: Genre/Form
content: Audiovisual materials
label: Genre/Form
content: Oral history -- 1990-2000
label: Genre/Form
content: Motion pictures (visual works) -- 1990-2000
label: Genre/Form
content: Transcripts
label: Genre/Form
content: Interviews -- 1950-2000
label: Genre/Form
content: Press releases -- 1990-2000
scopecontent: label: Scope and Contents
content: Series 1, boxes 1-15: 16 mm color film shot for the program, arranged in two subseries. Subseries A, boxes 1-10, consists of primary source materials including film footage of a meeting of scholars, historians, archivists, Weiden & Kennedy advertising agency personnel, and Nike executives at the Smithsonian's Center for Advertising History for the Nike Advertising Oral History and Documentation Project; interviews with scholars, historians, industry representatives (including transcripts for some interviews); and documentation of a Mitsubishi GT3000 ad from pitch to production, including meetings between Grey advertising agency personnel and Mitsubishi account representatives, a live commerical shoot and a production session with a commercial narrator. Subseries B, boxes 11-15, consists of secondary materials created during production, including pre-production sync pulls, trims, and lifts as compiled and edited by producer Steven York and Associates. Series 2, box 16, contains documentary materials relating to the show's production and broadcast, including correspondence, press releases, and publicity. Transcripts for the interviews are located here.