Rolex Swiss Landscape Advertisements: Vintage 1947

Ratskunk · 2024-03-16T17:09:09Z

Explore Rolex's foundational "Swiss Landscape" advertising campaign from 1947, illustrated by Eric Fraser. Discover how JWT shaped Rolex's marketing legacy.

Ratskunk

WPS member · Rolex forum

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Ratskunk's meticulous research into Rolex's post-war advertising history unearths the pivotal "Swiss Landscape" campaign. This deep dive, drawing from J. Walter Thompson's internal records, illuminates how Rolex, with illustrator Eric Fraser, laid the groundwork for its iconic marketing strategies, making this early campaign a crucial touchstone for understanding the brand's enduring legacy.

Let's preface the 1947 Rolex "Swiss Landscape" advertisements with a quick tidbit of history: The J. Walter Thompson (JWT) agency became the Rolex advertising agency of record in 1946, according to the JWT newsletter The Rolex Oyster: 39 Years of Advertising History JWT's first Rolex advertisement was in 1946 targeting the jewelry trade...

The very first ad that appears in London's Rolex guard books is addressed to the jewelry trade. It is immediately post war (1946) and announces the arrival of limited supplies of Rolex watches and the resumption of press advertising. (JWT)

The 1946 advertisement referenced in the JWT newsletter may be the advertisement appearing in the December 16, 1946 Scotsman; a similar advertisement appeared in the December 6, 1946 Belfast Telegraph.

The first JWT Rolex advertisement directed toward consumers according to the JWT newsletter The Rolex Oyster: 39 Years of Advertising History was in 1947; the advertisement pictured in the newsletter I think first appeared in the Scotsman on January 10, 1947.

Our first consumer ad (1) announces the first imports of fine wristwatches since 1940. The ad is dated January 1947. It was a start, at least. (JWT)

After the 1946 and 1947 advertisements J. Walter Thompson launches its first Rolex "consumer advertising campaign": the "Swiss Landscapes" advertisements; the well-known British illustrator Eric Fraser is selected to illustrate the advertisements (Eric Fraser will go on to illustrate the 1952 Rolex "Fantastic Story" advertising campaign).

More conventional consumer advertising began later in the same year [1947] with very fine line drawings of Swiss scenes and of the watches (2, 3). Each ad in this quite long series deals with a particular attribute of the Rolex Oyster—Perpetual Motion, the Superlative Chronometer Certificate, the date change on the stroke of midnight and so on. We also made a point of including a catalogue of Rolex "firsts", such as first water-proof watch. It was an impressive list even then. And it has grown since. (JWT)

The "Swiss Landscape" advertisements featured the scenes: Zytglocketurm, Berne & Lucerne, Hofkirche, Mount Pilatus and Montreux, Château de Chiillon, The Hospice du St. Gothard, San Martino Church at Olivone & Adelboden, Switzerland; note I was only able to locate seven of the advertisements (see enclosed pictures). It's difficult to appreciate Eric Fraser's illustrations given the format the advertisements appeared in but three advertisements that reflect the beauty of Eric Fraser's artwork are found in Graphis magazine issues 23, 24 and 25; enclosed are the full-page advertisements from Graphis magazine.

As in the Rolex "Fantastic Story" advertisements Eric Fraser's "Swiss Landscape" illustrations are the real heroes rather than the watches (at least to me).

Note: the full-page "Golden hours for Daytime, Night-time, Lifetime" (with four Rolex watches) is an anomaly as a description of the Swiss scene illustrated is not displayed but the illustration is certainly done by Eric Fraser as his signature (initials) are present.

A note regarding the J. Walter Thompson advertising agency: I am fond of saying and I believe its true: Hans Wilsdorf created the Rolex watch, J. Walter Thompson created the Rolex myth; an Omega brand manager summed it up nicely...

Key Points from the Discussion

The initial 1946 advertisements, as referenced in the JWT newsletter, were primarily directed at the jewelry trade, announcing the limited availability of Rolex watches post-war and the resumption of press advertising.
The "Swiss Landscapes" campaign, despite lacking the adventurous themes of later campaigns like the 1952 "Fantastic Story," was JWT's inaugural thematic and sustained Rolex advertising effort. It established the marketing model that would define Rolex's approach for the next four decades, solidifying its status as a marketing powerhouse.
For collectors of vintage Rolex advertisements, three of the "Swiss Landscape" ads can be found in Graphis magazine issues 23, 24, and 25 (1948). Graphis magazine, a trade publication for graphic arts, featured Rolex advertisements in over 70 of its first 100 issues, often appearing opposite the title-index page.

The Discussion

kev09

Mar 17, 2024

Thank you for posting them. Regards Kev.

Ratskunk

Mar 17, 2024

I was remiss in neglecting advertisements appearing in the Horological Journal directly related to the snippet from the JWT newsletter The Rolex Oyster: 39 Years of Advertising History ( referenced in the original-post)... The very first ad that appears in London's Rolex guard books is addressed to the jewelry trade. It is immediately post war (1946) and announces the arrival of limited supplies of Rolex watches and the resumption of press advertising. (JWT newsletter) As noted in the original-p

Ratskunk

Mar 17, 2024

Though the 1952 Rolex “Fantastic Story” advertisements were more-or-less matchless in the J. Walter Thompson (JWT) Rolex advertising portfolio rivaled maybe only by the “If you were X tomorrow, you’d wear a Rolex” advertisements, the “Swiss Landscapes” although sans adventure, men of distinction, beautiful ladies and cats were JWT’s inaugural thematic, sustained Rolex advertising campaign setting the model for JWT Rolex marketing campaigns for the next forty years thus establishing Rolex as an m

diracpoint

Mar 17, 2024

Enjoyed reading it. Thank you!🙏

Ratskunk

Mar 18, 2024

For those that may collect vintage Rolex advertisements: three of the "Swiss Landscape" advertisements appear in the Graphis magazine issues 23, 24 and 25 (1948). Graphis magazine is an interesting Rolex treasure trove of Rolex advertisements: a trade magazine for the graphic arts, Rolex advertisements appeared in 70+ out of the first 100 issues of the magazine; after the death of Hans Wilsdorf only one Rolex advertisement (see enclosed Midas ad) ever again appeared in Graphis magazine (IIRC): t

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Rolex Swiss Landscape Advertisements: Vintage 1947

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