About this collection

‘Sponsored film’ defines a variety of motion picture productions funded by businesses, organizations, or governments that dictated the point of view, audience, and intent of the film. Industrial or business films are a sub-genre of sponsored films with content that marketed products and ideas, touted a particular company or industry, trained employees, and explained manufacturing or transactional processes around the creation and sales of products and ideas.

The Sponsored and industrial motion picture film collection (Accession 2018.222) at Hagley is an artificial collection compiled by curators that includes single motion picture films or small sets of films acquired via purchase or donation. The collection is comprised of sponsored films produced for businesses (industrial films) and those produced for organizations promoting business interests.

Additionally, it contains educational films with the intent to teach consumerism, energy production, career training, and similar topics with a pro-business message. This collection has not been digitized in its entirety.

Image: Still from "Fountain of Happiness" sponsored by the Weber Dental Manufacturing Company, circa 1950.