The matchbox as a means of promotion and advertising
The first advertisement in a envelope with matches appeared in 1895, when the Mendelssohn Opera Company of New York bought many white envelopes with matches and had the members of the troupe decorate them with cut photos and handwritten slogans. The only piece that exists today belongs to the souvenir company Franklin Mint and its value is estimated at over 60,000 euros.
Matchboxes intended for advertising began to be made more systematically after 1900.
At first, the small space of the matchbox was not considered effective for advertising. The advertising power of the matchbox gradually began to be recognized. In fact, advertising through them soon became “fashionable”, and companies in all kinds of businesses used it. Advertising through matchboxes was very efficient and effective because matchboxes were absolutely necessary in everyday life – and since their financial cost allowed it – they were in the possession of all people.In the matchboxes that were used as a means of advertising, an important parameter was their visual and aesthetic presentation, because in a way that the product they depicted was displayed more successfully. The design of these matchboxes cost much more than the construction of the matchboxes. Typical such examples were matchboxes advertising multinational hotel units as well as tobacco companies.
It is a fact that by the 5th-6th decade of the 20th century the matchbox had become one of the most important means of promotion and advertising.