Southern California Outdoor Advertising Collection | Collections | The Huntington

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Visual Materials

Southern California Outdoor Advertising Collection

Description: The Southern California Outdoor Advertising Collection depicts billboards located in situ primarily in and around Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, San Diego. The billboards, produced by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Company from approximately 1930 through 1979, and by Gannett Outdoor Co. from approximately 1980-1996, advertise a wide variety of businesses, products, and services, including: beverages (many for beer and liquor); food; cigarettes and tobacco; transportation (especially automobiles, airlines and bus lines); hotels; restaurants; motion pictures; charitable and non-profit organizations, including regional cities and civic campaigns; political candidates for local and state elections; public service announcements (such as air raid and Cold War-related ads); radio and television stations; oil and gasoline companies; cemeteries; clothing companies; department stores; recreational facilities; and other commercial, political, civic, and institutional clients. In addition, there are images related primarily to Pacific Outdoor Advertising (POA) Company operations such as client presentations, billboard production, corporate facilities and the POA helicopter. Aerial views taken throughout Southern California document the various markets in which the company placed signage. For the most comprehensive client list, see Series 1, Subseries A: Color slides. While most of the billboards are photographed in situ, location information – such as specific cities and streets – is rarely noted. For images containing billboards with street information, see Series 2, "Approach" views, as well as "Plant Management" images in Series 3, (Box 94). Also in Series 3, a section both companies labeled "P.R." contains images of non-commercial billboards such as civic, governmental, and non-profit agency advertisements (Boxes 96-97).

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Gannett Outdoor: Client Billboards, A - P
Visual Materials
This collection consists of photographs of billboards located in situ primarily in and around Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, San Diego, from approximately 1930-1996 (bulk 1950-1989). The photographs, which are principally color slides (35mm) and film negatives (both black-and-white and color), were created by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Company (POA) and Gannett Outdoor Company for internal purposes and represent advertising for a wide variety of businesses, consumer products, and services, including beverages (many for beer and liquor); food; cigarettes and tobacco; transportation (especially automobiles, airlines and bus lines); hotels; restaurants; motion pictures; charitable and non-profit organizations, including regional cities and civic campaigns; political candidates for local and state elections; public service announcements (such as air raid and Cold War-related ads); radio and television stations; oil and gasoline companies; cemeteries; clothing companies; department stores; recreational facilities; and other commercial, political, civic, and institutional clients. In addition, there are images related primarily to Pacific Outdoor Advertising (POA) Company operations such as client presentations, billboard production and installation, corporate facilities and the POA helicopter. Aerial views taken throughout Southern California document the various markets in which the company placed signage.
photCL 488
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Pacific Outdoor Advertising Co. and Gannett Outdoor Co. operations, facilities, and employees
Visual Materials
These photographs were created by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Co. and Gannett Outdoor Co. to document billboard production and placement, including scenes of facilities, operations, employee portraits and activities, artwork, and sales events. Photographs in "Plant Management" show various corporate buildings, the creation of billboards on the studio floor, artists, painters, equipment, as well as installation of billboards noting street locations, ca. 1953-1960 (Box 94). Included in employee photographs are images of Pacific Outdoor Advertising presidents Hal Brown and his son, Hal Brown, Jr., along with their family members, and long-time employee Woody Ginn (Box 95). A section both companies labeled "P.R." contains images of non-commercial billboards such as civic, governmental, public service and non-profit agency advertisements (Boxes 96-97). See also Box 1: Color slides of POA operations and facilities.
Series 3
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Gannett Outdoor: Client Billboards, G - Z
Visual Materials
This collection consists of photographs of billboards located in situ primarily in and around Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, San Diego, from approximately 1930-1996 (bulk 1950-1989). The photographs, which are principally color slides (35mm) and film negatives (both black-and-white and color), were created by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Company (POA) and Gannett Outdoor Company for internal purposes and represent advertising for a wide variety of businesses, consumer products, and services, including beverages (many for beer and liquor); food; cigarettes and tobacco; transportation (especially automobiles, airlines and bus lines); hotels; restaurants; motion pictures; charitable and non-profit organizations, including regional cities and civic campaigns; political candidates for local and state elections; public service announcements (such as air raid and Cold War-related ads); radio and television stations; oil and gasoline companies; cemeteries; clothing companies; department stores; recreational facilities; and other commercial, political, civic, and institutional clients. In addition, there are images related primarily to Pacific Outdoor Advertising (POA) Company operations such as client presentations, billboard production and installation, corporate facilities and the POA helicopter. Aerial views taken throughout Southern California document the various markets in which the company placed signage.
photCL 488
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Client Billboards: Uniface Outdoor - UV Sunblock
Visual Materials
This collection consists of photographs of billboards located in situ primarily in and around Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, San Diego, from approximately 1930-1996 (bulk 1950-1989). The photographs, which are principally color slides (35mm) and film negatives (both black-and-white and color), were created by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Company (POA) and Gannett Outdoor Company for internal purposes and represent advertising for a wide variety of businesses, consumer products, and services, including beverages (many for beer and liquor); food; cigarettes and tobacco; transportation (especially automobiles, airlines and bus lines); hotels; restaurants; motion pictures; charitable and non-profit organizations, including regional cities and civic campaigns; political candidates for local and state elections; public service announcements (such as air raid and Cold War-related ads); radio and television stations; oil and gasoline companies; cemeteries; clothing companies; department stores; recreational facilities; and other commercial, political, civic, and institutional clients. In addition, there are images related primarily to Pacific Outdoor Advertising (POA) Company operations such as client presentations, billboard production and installation, corporate facilities and the POA helicopter. Aerial views taken throughout Southern California document the various markets in which the company placed signage.
photCL 488
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Outdoor advertising is dominant (1)
Visual Materials
This collection consists of photographs of billboards located in situ primarily in and around Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, San Diego, from approximately 1930-1996 (bulk 1950-1989). The photographs, which are principally color slides (35mm) and film negatives (both black-and-white and color), were created by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Company (POA) and Gannett Outdoor Company for internal purposes and represent advertising for a wide variety of businesses, consumer products, and services, including beverages (many for beer and liquor); food; cigarettes and tobacco; transportation (especially automobiles, airlines and bus lines); hotels; restaurants; motion pictures; charitable and non-profit organizations, including regional cities and civic campaigns; political candidates for local and state elections; public service announcements (such as air raid and Cold War-related ads); radio and television stations; oil and gasoline companies; cemeteries; clothing companies; department stores; recreational facilities; and other commercial, political, civic, and institutional clients. In addition, there are images related primarily to Pacific Outdoor Advertising (POA) Company operations such as client presentations, billboard production and installation, corporate facilities and the POA helicopter. Aerial views taken throughout Southern California document the various markets in which the company placed signage.
Group 063
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Pacific Outdoor Advertising: Presentations
Visual Materials
This collection consists of photographs of billboards located in situ primarily in and around Los Angeles and, to a lesser extent, San Diego, from approximately 1930-1996 (bulk 1950-1989). The photographs, which are principally color slides (35mm) and film negatives (both black-and-white and color), were created by Pacific Outdoor Advertising Company (POA) and Gannett Outdoor Company for internal purposes and represent advertising for a wide variety of businesses, consumer products, and services, including beverages (many for beer and liquor); food; cigarettes and tobacco; transportation (especially automobiles, airlines and bus lines); hotels; restaurants; motion pictures; charitable and non-profit organizations, including regional cities and civic campaigns; political candidates for local and state elections; public service announcements (such as air raid and Cold War-related ads); radio and television stations; oil and gasoline companies; cemeteries; clothing companies; department stores; recreational facilities; and other commercial, political, civic, and institutional clients. In addition, there are images related primarily to Pacific Outdoor Advertising (POA) Company operations such as client presentations, billboard production and installation, corporate facilities and the POA helicopter. Aerial views taken throughout Southern California document the various markets in which the company placed signage.
(Groups 080-095)