As Mitt Romney famously said, “Corporations are people, my friend.” Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, corporations, at times, do act like people. This is most evident during the Holiday Season. Businesses, made up of people, mark this time of year in creative ways. Sometimes they try to increase sales, and sometimes they are just human beings with love in their hearts and joy to share.
The DeGolyer Library has an emphasis on collecting business records and photographic collections. Here are some holiday highlights..
With December being the month of gifts and special occasions, retailers pulled out all the stops for Christmas marketing. At both ends of the retail spectrum, JCPenney and Neiman-Marcus showcased their merchandise. These two images show that they also targeted two ends of the age spectrum. The DeGolyer Library has the papers of the men who are most known for these two retail institutions: Mr. Penney and Stanley Marcus.
Industrial companies, too, would decorate for Christmas. Some celebrated in the main headquarters, while out in the field others just wanted a piece of home. Robert Richie traveled the world and visited many large companies in his role as an industrial photographer.
The DeGolyer Library wishes all of our friends and researchers a very happy holiday season. We hope to see you in the New Year. Remember we open on Wednesday, January 2 at 8:30 just in case you want to see any of our books, photographs or manuscripts collections in person.