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Public relations, 1921-1981

 Series
Accession: 2251Identifier: 2251-II.

Part of collection: Raymond Loewy archive (2251)

Dates

  • Creation: 1921-1981

Scope and Contents

The Public relations series has been arranged into five subseries: Client/project files; Scrapbooks; Publicity clippings; Speeches; and Department files.

The Client/project files subseries consists of press releases, photographs, trade literature, and some correspondence documenting Loewy's role in helping to create the modern consumer society and his work on more than 200 projects for clients such as Exxon, Shell Oil, and Coca-Cola. The materials date from 1934 to 1981, with a majority of the materials dating from 1947 to 1963.

Scrapbooks contain articles that appeared in magazines, newspapers, and trade publications. Topics include the Avanti, stores (interiors and exteriors including Gimbels, Lord & Taylor, Foley's, and Wanamaker's), dinnerware (Fostoria, Limoges, Lucent Corp, Rosenthal), fabrics, furniture, cars (Studebaker and Avanti as well as Loewy's personal automobiles), Snaith/Project Home, supermarkets, housewares, transportation (including Pennsylvania Railroad, TWA, Panama Lines, Air France, United Air Lines), and packaging.

Several scrapbooks contain clippings pertaining to Loewy's public appearances and speeches, and his social life, a valuable resource since most of Loewy's business correspondence during the 1930s and 1940s had been destroyed. The materials date from 1934 to 1970. Volume 15 is missing.

Publicity clippings subseries consists of newspaper, magazine, and trade publication clippings; magazine and trade publication reprints; and complete issues of magazines that detail Loewy design projects, including his homes. Subjects include Armour & Company, the Avanti, Canada Dry, Nabisco, NASA, packaging, Pennsylvania Railroad," Project Home," and United Air Lines. Publications also include articles that were written by Loewy and William Snaith. This subseries is arranged alphabetically by subject and dates from 1921 to 1980.

Speeches subseries contains transcripts of radio and television programs on which Loewy was interviewed, drafts and text of speeches delivered by Loewy and company officials, and clippings and press releases used as background material for future speeches. The materials date from 1941 to 1980.

Department files subseries contains some of Betty Reese's correspondence, the firm's client lists, Loewy's biography and resumes, and articles and quotations about Loewy. This subseries is arranged chronologicaly and dates from 1939 to 1975.

Extent

26 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Access Restrictions

No restrictions on access; this collection is open for research.

Provenance

Records in this series were generated and maintained by Loewy's New York Public Relations Department. Betty Reese, the firm's vice-president of public relations for several decades, headed the department.

Related Names

Creator

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
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