As they say, sex in advertising has always sold. And so, it was in the mid-1940s that line manufacturer Rain-Beau Fishing Lines utilized the Pin-Up style of art many WW-II pilots adorned to their planes. Today in Pin-Up Style Ads 1940s, we’ll take a short jaunt and investigate these ads, for history’s sake, of course.
Pin-up History
World War II was the first war that brought the action to America. Almost daily, new news reels were published on television and at the start of every big screen movie there was a short film of the action overseas.
These films didn’t just bring the fighting to the screen, though. They showed the daily life of the soldier, seaman, and airmen to the forefront. And one of the subjects of daily life was airplane nose art.
Art on planes started in World War I with pilots painting their unit emblems on the side of their planes to discern friend from foe. But in World War II, that all changed as pilot-artists went further and began painting all sorts of subjects on their planes. Some pilots adorned their planes with cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse, while others painted cartoons of Hitler or other axis figures on the noses of their airborne offices.
The most well-known and controversial nose art of the time, though, was Pin-up art. Inspired by the artwork of Alberto Vargas and Gil Elvgren, pilots painted images of scantily-clad, if clad at all, ladies on the noses of their planes.
The United States Army Air Force leadership saw this artwork as a morale booster and tolerated it as long as it followed certain guidelines. On the other hand, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps didn’t approve it at all. But the further the units were from the flagpole, guidelines and rules slipped [1].
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines
Starting in March 1945, Rain-Beau Fishing Lines began a two-year ad campaign utilizing the style of the Pin-Up. The only difference is Rain-Beau took photographs of actual ladies for their artwork instead of an artist’s rendition of the “Girl-Next-Door.”
The ads continued through July 1946 where they abruptly stopped and Rain-Beau carried on with more traditional ads showing a spool of line. It’s tough to say why they discontinued their Pin-up campaign.
Below are the 16 ads in chronological order that Rain-Beau, and one from Pachner & Koller, published in Hunting and Fishing magazine from March 1945 through August 1946.
Gallery
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing March 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Ad Hunting and Fishig April 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain Beau Ad Hunting and Fishing May 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing June 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing July 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Products Ad Hunting and Fishing August 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Products Ad Hunting and Fishing September 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Products Ad Hunting and Fishing October 1945. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing January 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing February 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Line Ad Hunting and Fishing March 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Pachner & Koller Ad Hunting and Fishing April 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing April 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Line Ad Hunting and Fishing May 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing June 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain Beau Ad Hunting and Fishing July 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Rain-Beau Fishing Lines Ad Hunting and Fishing August 1946. Image Terry Battisti.
Man, I LOVE this story – the images are fantastic, the connection is real and thoughtful, it’s about the history of fishing and its place in the larger culture. Plus, I really enjoy Pin-Up art, especially the WWII era stuff.