A cinematic soap opera: The development of cinematography as an advertising and promotional tool in Lever Brothers Limited

Jeannette Strickland

Business History, 2024, vol. 66, issue 1, 136-156

Abstract: In his history of Unilever, Charles Wilson stated that cinema advertising was not part of the company’s marketing strategy until the late 1930s. However, despite the paucity of surviving archival sources, recent research has proved that Lever Brothers was engaged with the new medium of cinematography from its earliest days and that the practice continued up to and after the formation of Unilever in 1930. William Lever is renowned for his innovative approach to advertising and marketing, and as a pioneer of creating brand identity, but he was also one of the first British businessmen to recognise the value of film as a marketing tool. This article will argue that Lever Brothers was active in the use of cinematography from the mid-1890s and that it played a significant role in the company’s marketing campaigns.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1080/00076791.2021.1909573

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