In the 1930s, Chevrolet put together a series of promotional videos intended to provide the viewer with Chevrolet-centric currents events and news stories. Dubbed the ‘Chevrolet Leader News’, these videos would often highlight the different ways Chevy owners were using their vehicles, or cover developments in the transportation industry.
The Chevrolet Leader News video embedded below, which was episode three in the series’ first volume of shows, covers a variety of interesting topics and gives us an idea of what the automotive industry was like in the mid-1930s. It opens with a story describing how Chevrolet trucks have helped support the booming American construction industry, showing the various ways the vehicles are being used to help pour cement, transport lumber and more.
The newscast then enters its second segment, which shows a 1930s Chevrolet vehicle parked next to the so-called oldest house in America. The idea was to show the juxtaposition between modern-day transportation and an old style of living, though by current-day standards, the Chevy doesn’t look so out of place next to the old house. Later in the episode, Chevy highlights a new “transportation bracelet” for women that “must be worn when one wants to go places and do things.” We’re not really sure what sets the “transportation bracelet” apart from a regular piece of jewellery, but a vintage automotive advertisement is nothing without some lofty, relatively absurd claims.
The newsreel then shifts to a clip of a guy asking to get his oil changed as his engine, clearly damaged, clanks away in the background, followed by a short segment documenting how the American military is using GM trucks to its benefit. The best segment is the final one, however, which shows a small dog wearing glasses sitting on the hood of a Chevrolet vehicle, serving as its “hood ornament.” Chevy appears to have even made the dog a custom little section to sit in so he doesn’t fall out. Cute!
Check out the rather eccentric 1930s Chevrolet newsreel embedded below.
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