MEMOGRAPHER | Travel Photo Journal

It is time to publish a new post in the ‘Delta Air Lines – The History In Magazine Advertising’ series, dedicated to Delta’s 85th Anniversary. This post contains year-by-year magazine print advertisements from 1970 to 1979.
Since we are talking 1970s today, I would like to start the “story of prints” with one of my favorite Delta’s pictures taken in January 1970, The Final Hug. The photo speaks for itself- a stewardess (Diane Strickland) is giving a final hug to the last of Delta’s Convair 440 propeller planes, retired from service on April 25, 1970. From now on, Delta is a jet service only airline.

Click on image to view full size.

With a final hug from Stewardess Diane Strickland, the last of Delta’s Convair 440 propeller planes retired from service on April 25, 1970

Today’s post’s history facts section tells about Delta’s slogans.

Delta Air Lines Slogans

1929 – Speed, Comfort and Safety
1930 – Speed, Comfort and Convenience
1935 – The Trans-Southern Route
1940 – The Airline of the South
1948 – None Faster. None Finer. To and Through the South.
1950 – Hospitality and Service from the Heart
1950 – One of America’s Pioneer-Scheduled Airlines
1959 – The Airline with the Big Jets
1966 – The Best Thing That Ever Happened to Air Travel
1968 – Delta Is Ready When You Are
1970 – That’s the Delta Spirit
1970 – The Airline Run by Professionals
1974 – Delta Is My Airline
1980 – Airlines Are the Same. Only People Make the Difference.
1984 – Delta Is Ready When You Are
1984 – Delta Gets You There (also: Delta Will Get You There, Delta Gets You There with Care)
1987 – We Love to Fly and It Shows
1992 – Ready When You Are
1994 – You’ll Love the Way We Fly
1997 – On Top of the World
2005 – Good Goes Around
2010 – Keep Climbing

In the 7th decade of the 20th Century, in addition to its existing motto Delta Is Ready When You Are, the company created new slogan The Airline Run by Professionals and built its advertising campaigns using both phrases. The ads contained photos of Delta’s employees, their names, and catchy details of their job performances. Love the idea!

1970 Delta Airlines Kris Conrad Stewardess Print Ad

1971 Delta Airlines Janet Cook Reservationist Print Ad

1972 Delta Airlines Dana Jones 747 Captain Print Ad

1972 Delta Airlines DC-10 Jumbo Jet Stewardess Eleanor Doble Print Ad

1973 Delta Air Lines DC-10 Nancy Palmer Print Ad

1974 Delta Airlines Stewardess Christa Beck Wide Ride Print Ad

1975 Delta Airlines Tom Sineath Print Ad

1976 Delta Airlines “Run By Professionals” Shirley White Print Ad

1977 Delta Airlines Captain John Richards Print Ad

1977 Delta Airlines Walter Doll Print Ad

1978 Delta Airlines Bianca Bohrer Print Ad

1978 Delta Airlines Captain Frank Moynahan Print Ad

1978 Delta Airlines Dot Turnipseed Print Ad

1978 Delta Airlines Mechanic Electrician John Muncus Print Ad

1978 Delta Airlines Reservations Agent Cathy Cowart Print Ad

1979 Delta Airlines Captain Joe Kelly Sherry Ellis Pat Coleman Print Ad

During the 70s, Delta also published other advertisements. I find one of those ads extremely amusing [smile]. See the ad below. I can’t believe it has come out of Delta Airlines Corporate Communications… “To The Guy Who’s Got A Girl In Every City”! Well, I guess, in the 70s sexual liberation movement challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships [wink].