Abstract
This article evaluates 15 pictorial advertising posters, produced by the London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) between 1923 and 1939, for their likely effectiveness as marketing tools for increasing train travel. The author uses a technique based on semiotics to evaluate three criteria: whether the posters addressed a well-defined market; whether the posters affected consumers; and whether they promoted travel on the LNER. The author also discusses the challenges of selection and interpretation when using posters as source material. The posters advertised, primarily, knowledge of 'deep' England, with subsidiary emphases on rambling and art appreciation. The author concludes that the posters met the first two criteria outlined, but did not promote LNER travel strongly enough to be considered effective advertisements. However, an apparent contradiction, advertising modern trains with rural countryside connotations, may explain why these posters are popular now for their aesthetic appeal.
Published Version
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