John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Ad*Access: An image database of over 7,000 advertisements printed in U.S. and Canadian newspapers and magazines between 1911 and 1955.
Browse our guide for collections related to radio and television advertising.
ROAD 2.0 (Resource of Outdoor Advertising Descriptions): A portal to more than 30,000 images of outdoor advertisements from five different source collections.
Adviews: A digital archive of thousands of vintage television commercials dating from the 1950s through the 1980s created or collected by the D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles advertising agency.
About
The Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History in the David M. Rubenstein Library acquires and preserves printed material and collections of textual and multimedia resources and makes them available to researchers around the world. Through these collections and related programming, the Center promotes understanding of the social, cultural, and historical impact of advertising, marketing, and sales.
Two Exhibits Highlight Consumer Reports Archives during 90th Anniversary
Join us for a double exhibit
opening event with panel discussion on January 27th from 4:30 to 6:30 PM. More details here.
"This Sneeze is for Science" is on display now through April 5, 2026 in the Rubenstein Library Documentary Arts Gallery with photography taken by Consumer Reports showcasing the organization’s inner workings, methodologies, and the results of their testing process.
"Test, Inform, Protect" documents the history of Consumer Reports through advocacy, product testing, publishing and international activities. On display through June 7 in the Perkins Library Chappell Family Gallery.
Consumer Reports Archives
The Consumer Reports Archives documents the history of the mission-driven nonprofit consumer organization from its founding in 1936 through its emergence as the nation’s preeminent consumer advocacy and education organization. The archives is comprised of roughly 2,800 linear feet of material in 65 unique collections including archival materials, photographs, books, serials, and artifacts. These collections not only tell the story of Consumer Reports but also the broader consumer movement in the United States and abroad. Learn more about the collection here.
