Marketing communications in a time of change: mobility providers, safety and women during the interwar period in the UK and North America

Purpose The interwar period was a time of technological and social change. This paper aims to understand how these changes impacted the marketing communication of mobility through the lenses of safety and of the changing place and role of women in society. Design/methodology/approach The research is based on a review of over 2,000 posters together with visual and textual material from the contemporary specialist press and company brochures, magazine advertisements and promotional film. Findings As women’s place in society developed during the interwar period, they became travellers and decision makers in their own right. Companies responded to and influenced these changes by encouraging women to take opportunities previously beyond their reach. However, even within this context, women were seen to retain a priority for safety linked to their more traditional societal roles. This message was set within the context of a wider safety communication dependant on the maturity of the mobility technology. Established modes of transport took a connotative approach whilst the new technologies (cars and airlines) were far more explicit in their claims. Research limitations/implications The paper provides an approach to understanding the impact of advertisers’ technologies (new or established) on the style and content of their marketing. As such it can be used in other areas besides those discussed in this paper: for example, in a comparison between traditional car engine technologies and emergent “green” alternatives. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first cross-modal comparison of marketing communications by companies representing the majority of key mobilities. Further, whilst there is considerable discussion on topics such as gender and motoring, other sectors (for example, women airline passengers) have been given scant research attention.