Through the use of material from the Iconographic collection’s photography holdings, this exhibition looks to showcase the pioneering spirit, scientific ingenuity, and evolution of the Consumer Reports testing department during the organization’s first 50 years. Whether the photos were staged for demonstration proposes or taken candidly during testing, the photographers’ task remained the same: to provide its viewers with a clear visual, showcasing the organization’s inner workings, methodologies, and in some cases the results of their testing.
In 2019 the Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History, within the Rubenstein Library at Duke University acquired the archival collection of the consumer advocacy and product testing organization, Consumer Reports. The collection boasts approximately 1,300 linear feet of manuscripts across 64 individual collections, 500 linear feet of monographs and serials, and 48 pieces of test equipment. Materials in this exhibition come primarily from the Iconographic Collection, which is comprised of a wide range of visual media, including black-and-white photography, color photography, contact sheets, negatives, cartoons, graphic designs, magazine layout art, posters, and slides.
