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Digital Collections

Advertisements, Ephemera

Is "Plastics" the Word?

  • 1944-Mar-27

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Public Domain

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Color print advertisement for Dow Plastics. The advertisement shows a composite illustration of historical figures, include a glassblower, two figures in the style of ancient Egyptian art, and a man in a lab coat working with machinery. The accompanying text traces the change over time in the meaning of the word "plastic," from an adjective to a noun used for a specific material. The text also describes the different qualities of several Dow plastic products, including Saran, Styron and Ethocel. This advertisement appeared on the inside cover of the March 27, 1944 edition of Newsweek. It is part of a series of advertisements titled "Five Minute Forum on Plastics." Notably, the advertisement was produced during World War II and bears the Company's wartime tagline "Dow: Chemicals Indispensable to Industry and Victory."

Property Value
Creator of work
Format
Genre
Extent
  • 10.75 in. H x 8.25 in. W
Language
Subject
Rights Public Domain Mark 1.0
Credit line
  • Courtesy of Science History Institute

Institutional location

Department
Collection
Physical container
  • Box 9

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Cite as

Dow Chemical Company. “Is ‘Plastics’ the Word?,” March 27, 1944. Advertisements from the Dow Chemical Historical Collection, Box 9. Science History Institute. Philadelphia. https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/xq8y9u8.

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The Science History Institute recognizes there are materials in our collections that may be offensive or harmful, containing racist, sexist, Eurocentric, ableist, or homophobic language or depictions. The history of science is not exempt from beliefs or practices harmful to traditionally marginalized groups. The Institute is engaged in ongoing efforts to responsibly present and address the evidence of oppression and injustice inextricable from the history of science. If you would like to learn more about our ongoing efforts or if you encounter harmful, inaccurate, or insufficient descriptions, please contact us at digital@sciencehistory.org.