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 Singer's famous red "S," introduced in 1870, was the first international brand
Long before McDonald's, Singer advertising gave a running tally of machines sold; the ad below is from 1883
By 1899, Singer was selling 1,000,000 sewing machines a year worldwide
Singer personally demonstrated his machine at circuses and outdoor events. He also held grand balls to which he invited New York high society, at which beautiful young women sat at sewing machines demonstrating their use
The Singer Company created beautifully appointed showrooms for its machines that even the highest society matron could feel comfortable visiting
Singer boosted its sales and prestige by adopting an educational role, all over the world. In addition to the Singer sewing centers, Singer supported "home economics" departments and the teaching of the "domestic arts" by donating sewing machines to schools, publishing sewing textbooks for teachers, and producing a wide range of assorted "educational" textbooks and learning aids
In Argentina in the 1920s Singer produced a little geography handbook for schoolchildren containing several pages of maps of the country's vast territory. Singer ads are discreetly inserted on the front and back cover and scattered throughout
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Singer's international reach became its greatest advertising gimmick. A late nineteenth century advertisement, thinly disguised as a news report about the end of the Spanish-American war, features the King of the Caroline Islands sitting, mesmerized, in front of a Singer Sewing Machine:
MISSIONARY WORK OF THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
At the close of the recent war, the King of Ou (Caroline Islands) came to pay homage to the Government of Manila. As the best means of advancing and establishing a condition of things that would prevent all future outbreaks, the King was introduced to the "Great Civilizer," the Singer sewing machine, and we have here his photograph, seated at the Singer sewing machine, with his Secretary of State standing beside him. This is absolutely authentic. It is a half-toned plate made from the original photograph, which can be seen any day at the office of the SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 149 Broadway, New York City.
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In preparation for Chicago's 1892 Great Columbian World Fair, Singer commissioned a famous series of 36 trade cards, called "Costumes of the World," which were made from photographs taken by its agents of customers in different countries, dressed in their national costumes. The backs of the cards are astonishing in the colonial attitude they reveal. Singer had adopted from emperors and kings the role of "civilizer", taking credit for raising the standard of living and improving the social and cultural habits of the world's population through its products. Millions of sets of these cards were made and given away at the Fair; they proved so popular as a window on the world that Singer commissioned more, putting out an ever-expanding series of cards depicting their international operations until the onset of the first world war.
By the 1920s, Singer's advertising budget surpassed $1 million per year, far larger than that of any other company in the world. Singer advertising continued to be innovative, all over the world, until after World War II. It peaked in the 1950s, with colourful, full-page ads in women's magazines worldwide. After that Singer's management grew increasingly anachronistic - the company never successfully made the transition to radio and television advertising.
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