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].
1973 Delta Airlines “To The Guy Who Has A Girl In Every City” Magazine Ad
To the guy who has a girl in every city – hahaha. Love these ads.
Yeap! There were guys like that in 1970s, Maria!
Memographer recently posted..My Orange Crush – Spring Break on Tybee Island
Wow Alex! You have quite the collection of these going now. They are very cool!
Thank you, Corrine! More to come. Stay tuned [smile]
Memographer recently posted..Climbing the Dome of St. Peter’s Basilica
These ads are so cool and you certainly have a bit of a collection!!
This also reminds me on something I wondered on board the last flight I caught:
You Always hear people joking about stewardesses, that there are no cute stewardesses anymore.
That’s when I thought “well, they ARE the same stewardesses, they just got old” :)
Pam recently posted..PARADISE IN BLED
Ohh, dear!!!!! You’ve made my day, Pam! They are the same stewardesses!!! So true!!
Memographer recently posted..Delta Air Lines Slogans – Magazine Ads from 1970’s
I’ve told you before how much I love this nostalgia! I like how you mentioned the 70’s sexual liberation movement. I still remember that even as a kid in that decade. I didn’t fly Delta as “Fly The Friendly Skies” (United) was the only one that flew that Sacramento – Reno route for my Dad to put me on for numerous weekend visits to my aunt, uncle and grandma. Great post, Memographer! :)
Mike recently posted..Eggs Florentine Casserole With Sausage, Great For Leftovers
Thank you, Mike. Yes, I remember how you love this nostalgia. And, even more, when I was putting this post together, I was thinking about you [smile] I am so happy you enjoyed it!
PS. Next and last post is ready and should be published on May 1st. Please stay tuned.
Memographer recently posted..2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Game Tickets Availability
Haha I love these ads! I always love looking at old ads…they always seem much more clever than the ones we have today :)
Michelle recently posted..My top 6 in-flight essentials (Bonus: get a 20% off discount code for Frends headphones!)
Your right, Michelle! They are clever than the modern ones! Thanks for stopping by!
Memographer recently posted..Romans Made of Stone and Marble
“Delta is an airline “blogged” by professional. Like Memographer…..”
Enjoyed this a lot, Alex! Simply love the nostalgia – and the sincerity and simplicity that go with it.
Marisol@TravelingSolemates recently posted..Panama: A Visit to an Embera Tribe Village
“Delta is an airline “blogged” by professional. Like Memographer…..” Love it, Marisol!
Memographer recently posted..Delta Air Lines Slogans – Magazine Ads from 1970’s
What a fabulous article and collection of marketing material. Like Maria Falvey I love the girl in every city article hehe.
I find it is a bit confusing if an airline keeps changing their slogan as often as this. Where is the consistency and what message are they trying to portray? It is good to see logo is consistent. I must admit even I didn’t recognise the slogans from the last 15 years even though I’ve flown a few times every year with them.
The Guy recently posted..Never Get Lost Without An Internet Connection
Agree, the changing slogans are confusing. But, it’s common practice here in US. Look at the Coca-Cola advertising slogans! – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Coca-Cola_slogans
Memographer recently posted..Masterpieces From the Capitoline Museums
An interesting leap back in time in this series. I was surprised by the “Deltamatic computer”, so I looked it up on the Internet, and I see it’s true that these were real in-house systems used by airlines long before the Internet arrived on the scene. And then there’s the “Chicago Minx”, which I don’t think would go down well these days, but is amusing in this context!
Andrew, that’s what I like in old ads- to look at the environment, equipment and tools. Airline Control Program that runs on all models of 360 computers was developed by IBM in 1965 and Deltamatic system was one of the first used.
Memographer recently posted..Delta Air Lines Slogans – Magazine Ads from 1970’s