Royal's effort here starts somewhat negative - this is not an appealing advertisement. Sitting down browsing a Popular Science magazine, this is not a headline that will instil much positive feelings when looking at the admittedly attractive machine.
A few months later, the headline is much more upbeat. Instead of noting a negative, it touts the possibilities. Much more likely to make you view the advertised machine and its make in a positive light.
A bit later still, with this advertisement they really manage to argue for the purchase of such an expensive machine for the family. Especially when the argument is that will help school results of offspring, there will be a willingness to spend the money.
Well, that does convince, doesn't it.
Well, maybe not. Today however similar arguments are used to advertise the modern-day equivalent products, such as the laptop or the tablet computer. Perhaps not quite as crass as in the old Royal magazine advertisements, but usually it is shown that the product can be used for homework.
As could this portable typewriter, it still can. The modern-day tools can however do so much better in many ways. How would the equivalent product of 80 years hence have improved further in helping the family 'get ahead' and to help make homework faster, I wonder...
I wonder if a PC really makes homework easier. Too many spend their time with all the nonsense on line. Then those that really do do their homework a PC is a great tool. One thing a PC will not be a working anything in 80 years and the now 160 year old typewriter will still be useful if it was not abused.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bill. Give a kid a computer, and the result is likely to be time-wasting and moral corruption, not academic excellence!
ReplyDeleteHmm - they actually do make it easier/faster/better... Also make it much easier to do anything, anything but homework ;-)
ReplyDeleteWrt that, kids will need to learn to deal with (and steer clear of) all that's out there...