Making a Marque: Rolls-Royce Motor Car Promotion 1904-1940

The promotional history of Rolls-Royce motor cars from the company’s beginnings in 1904 to the outbreak of World War II has been exhaustively researched and documented in these pages. When Charles Rolls met Henry Royce in May 1904 and drove the Royce car, he recognised his future partner for the engineering genius he was - but that was not enough to develop a successful business. Rolls-Royce needed to establish their reputation in a crowded field. Claude Johnson, the firm’s managing director, was the man responsible for crafting every aspect of the promotion of the cars and the company until his death in 1926 and he set a lasting standard for Rolls-Royce publicity.

The story of the constant battle for recognition on both sides of the Atlantic and the different approaches used in each market is related, highlighting the outstanding variety and quality of Rolls-Royce’s illustrated advertising, and how the company used it to attract the most demanding customers. The many strands of promotion that Rolls-Royce used are pulled together, from publicity for success in races and trials, through advertising in important magazines and influential newspapers, to beautifully produced pamphlets and catalogues. It shows the unique Rolls-Royce style: publicising independent press reports and unsolicited testimonials on the quality of the cars, and detailed explanations of the engineering standards and the expertise that created that quality. It also goes behind the scenes, reporting on rare minutes from the Advertising Committee during the 1930s that reveal the decisions that led to some of the finest examples of the company’s promotional work. This book promises enthusiasts a feast for the eyes and hours of entertaining reading.