1977: Sydney Advertising Buses Feature

Today, Sydney buses are generally regarded as moving billboards, to the point that window views are generally obstrucutred. 

"Advertising Buses" in Sydney have been around for nealy fifty years, and began with five government buses in the 1970s. At least the windows were not covered. 

  

Source: Glascott, G. 1977. "Surfing lions and popsicle-eaters ride the buses". The Sydney Morning Herald, January 1: 5. 

Joseph Glascott wrote a feature article for The Sydney Morning Herald in 1977 on the buses. Views were mixed. 

"oldtapecaptures" uploaded a clip to Youtube of a Stevie Wonder Segment featuring the Stevie Wonder themed bus above. The bus itself played Stevie Wonder music. 

Remember this? Boxing Day Sales Ads in 1996

Welcome to our annual summer series - Remember This? 

The past few years has seen the frenzy associated with the Boxing Day sales in our retailers has diminished as Australia embraces the Black Friday Sales that are part of life in the United States. One does not have to wait until after Christmas for a deal. One can find a good deal at any time or is prepared to wait for a sales period. Mid year stocktake sales may not get the attention that Boxing Day sales get, but you can still snap the same type of bargains.

A quarter of century ago,  Boxing Day Sales were the sale that was most anticipated. The 1990's might be regarded as when the frenzy was at its peak. The recession of 1990-1991 saw people become more frugal with their money. In 1992, shoppers at Grace Bros Sydney CBD were injured as part of a stampede. Even a security officer was injured. I'll leave it to a future entry.

Boxing Day sales did not commence on Boxing Day itself in Sydney in 1996. Retailers were closed for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Once the shops closed on Christmas Eve, the decorations immediately came down and the promotional signage for the sales would appear. This is one tradition that does not change.

Below are three newspaper commercials promoting the Stocktake Sales at Grace Bros and David Jones which were published on either December 26 1996 or December 27 1996 in The Daily Telegraph.

Grace Bros

David Jones

 

Below are two additional advertisements for BigW and Toys "R" Us, also published in The Daily Telegraph on December 26, 1996.

BigW

 

Toys "R" Us

Christmas Snapshot: 1996 (Part I)

This year, I will continue my annual tradition of looking back at Christmas from 25 years ago. For 2021, I will look back at 1996.

Given the material available, I will again split this into a two part series. This week will focus on Christmas advertising from major retailers as featured in the metropolitan newspaper while next week will focus on the day itself.

Grace Bros

I have observed that as the 1990's progressed, major department stores were placing fewer advertisements in major newspapers. One exception was Stocktake Sales that follow the post Christmas period.

I found one advertisement for Grace Bros that focused on electrical and whitewoods.

Source: Grace Bros. 1996. "Gift ideas for the last minute Christmas rush" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 18: 16.

Discount Department Stores

There was not much advertised in newspapers for 1996. Discount Department Stores are traditionally big with retail catalogues sent weekly to homes. COVID-19 has resulted in less emphasis due to possible transmission.

For loyal Target Customers, how about 12 1/2 percent off provided you shopped on December 16. I miss those days as they have gravitated towards "everyday low prices" like BigW and Kmart. Target may not have the physical presence like they once had but should they consider bringing it back?

Source: Target. 1996. "12 1/2% off everything today" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 16: 17. 

"$2 Stores"/ Discount Variety Stores

Chain discount variety stores may no longer be with us with the exception of The Reject Shop but lots of bargains on offer, especially Christmas items.

Below is one from Clints Crazy Bargains.

Source: Clints Crazy Bargains. 1996. Untitled (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 3: 16.

Crazy Prices was part of the Woolworths Group until 2001 when rival Go-Lo purchased the chain. I remember them in Rockdale in the site once occupied by the Woolworths Variety Store.

 

Source: Crazy Prices. 1996. ""Have a Crazy Christmas at Crazy Prices". The Sunday Telegraph, December 8: 141.

Technology

Adults could still give toys - "big toys" of course. Electronics retailers were keen for their share of Christmas spending. 

Source: Tandy Electronics. 1996. "The Answer is [tick] Tandy" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 18: 33.

Below is an advertisement from Dick Smith Electronics.

 

Source: Dick Smith Electronics. 1996. "You'll find presents for the whole family that are Just Right at Dick Smith Electronics!" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, December 15: 34-35. 

Brashs had good savings on computers and software.

 

Source: Brashs. 1996. Untitled (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 19: 26.

Officeworks had plenty to offer at their "superstores".

Source: Officeworks. 1996. "Taking care of Christmas" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, December 1: 42-43.

For our shutterbugs, good camera deals. Digital cameras were yet to be seen commercially. I recently picked up a catalogue for Ted's Camera Stores and you can still buy film cameras and film if you really love old fashioned photography.

Kodak is still trading, even after bankruptcy in 2012. Cameras (digital and film) can still be purchased and still active in image processing, though they are a small player when compared with Canon and Nikon. Ricoh is also a small player in 2021. 

Source: G&V Imaging. 1996. "G&V Great Value Gift Ideas" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 19:26. 

Fletchers Fotographics (since merged with Ted's Cameras) had their own offers as well. 

Source: Fletchers Fotographics. 1996. "Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas". The Sunday Telegraph, December 15:29. 

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones can easily fit in a stocking and were a gift suggestion back then. Phones were either analogue or digital. 

Source: RetraVision. 1996. "Talking Gift Ideas...Talk to Retravision". The Daily Telegraph, December 17: 17. 

Source: Telstra. 1996. "Pocket-priced deals on the world's best brands from Telstra MobileNet" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 19: 18. 

Books

Below is a newspaper advertisement from Angus & Robertson Bookworld. It's been a decade since they stopped operating physical stores but is a major player in the online book market in Australia alongside Amazon, Book Depository and Booktopia. For bookstores the final three months of the year (October-December) are marked by the major book releases for that year, well timed for Christmas. 

Source: Angus & Robertson Bookworld. 1996. "Red Hot Wanted Books". The Sunday Telegraph, December 15: 121. 

And there was a rule-breaker...

For those wanting discounts, traditionally one has to wait until the post-christmas sales. In recent years Australia has embraced Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, based on the American custom of Black Friday sales which for them is their busiest trading day of the year.

In 1996, Pauls Warehouse broke the rules, deciding to have their end of year stocktake sale before Christmas. 

Source: Pauls Warehouse. 1996. "End of Year Clearance Sale" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, December 22: 137.

Supermarkets

Like other retailers, Christmas is a peak period for supermarkets especially in the final days leading up to Christmas as people stock up on fresh food for their Christmas Dinner

Woolworths 

Admire some of the fresh food specials. 

Source: Woolworths. 1996. "Santa's Savers!" (Advertisement). The Sunday Telegraph, December 22: 30-31.

Food for Less & Flemings

Source: Food For Less & Flemings. 1996. "Christmas Super Savers". The Daily Telegraph, December 18: 

Coles

Source:  Coles. 1996. "You can count on Coles for Christmas" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph, December 19: 22 & 23. 

Next Week in Part II, we will look at Christmas Festivities.

Christmas Snapshot: 1995 (Part 1)

With Christmas approaching, it is an annual custom to look back at how Sydneysiders marked Christmas 25 years earlier.

This year we will focus on 1995.

Given the amount of material that I collated, I am breaking this into two parts.

Part 1 will focus on what retailers were providing for Christmas shoppers while Part 2 (next week) will focus on the day itself.

In 1995, computers and electronics were in vogue.

Coles recently decided to sell factory refurbished iPhones. In 1995, Strathfield Car Radios had their own second hand offers. This advertisement was published in The Daily Telegraph Mirror on December 16 1995.

You needed around $3000 to secure a good desktop computer. In 2020, you can buy a more powerful and advanced computer for several hundred dollars. A Canon inkjet printer cost $699. A basic printer can be found in 2020 for as little as $50. Below is a Grace Bros advertisement that was published in The Sunday Telegraph on December 17, 1995. 

Bing Lee offered good computers at lower prices.

Other Advertisements of interest are featured below:

Chandlers 

December 17 1995, The Sunday Telegraph

BigW 

The first advertisement was published in The Sunday Telegraph on December 10 1995 while the second advertisement was published in the same newspaper on December 17 1995. 

Kmart 

December 20 1995, The Daily Telegraph Mirror

Brashs and Target attempted to lure shoppers by offering days where all items were reduced. This included the famous Target 12 1/2 % off everything sale. 

Target

December 3 1995, The Sunday Telegraph

Food & Drink

Woolworths

December 20 1995, The Daily Telegraph Mirror

Coles

December 21 1995, The Daily Telegraph Mirror

Liquor Stax

December 20 1995, The Daily Telegraph Mirror

Macs Liquor

December 20 1995, The Daily Telegraph Mirror

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2000: Sydney: The Cheap Manhattan

When I was younger, I remember reading a reference to Sydneys as "little Manhattan" which I believed referred to our skyline. Sydney streets can also easily resemble streets in New York, especially Lower Manhattan where narrow streets bend, surrounded by tall buildings.

Two decades ago, Sydney was not just attracting Hollywood blockbusters, but also American advertisers. With the Australian Dollar averaging around $US 0.58 cents, American advertising agencies could stretch their dollar further.

Access to local actors and props meant any part of Sydney could be turned into an American city with great ease.

Below is an article as published in The Daily Telegraph in June 2000.

Source: Skelsey, M. 2000. "The Cheap Apple: Budget Sydney lures ad makers". The Daily Telegraph, June 13: 5. 

Even in recent years, Sydney has been featured in American commercials, even if they feature in just  split second shots. One commercial by Opdivo in 2016 featured Sydney in its entirety, though cars drove on the right hand side of the road.

EVOLUTION OF WESTFIELD MIRANDA: Westfield Miranda Expansion Completed II (1971) - Retail Advertisements

Last week was an overview of the first expansion of Westfield Miranda (Miranda Fair), this week I am sharing some of the advertisements as published from The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader
on September 15 1971.

Grace Bros

Farmers

Woolworths Family Centre

The Whistling Prawn

Mansours

Kenrays

Katies

Soul Pattinson Chemists

Safeways

Bush'a Hygrade Means

Igloo Deli