Baby on a cushion, c 1950

Baby on a cushion, c 1950. Photograph of a smiling little baby sitting on a cushion, taken by Photographic Advertising Limited. Images of children often feature in the work of Photographic Advertising and were used by advertisers to promote a wide range of products. The company was founded in 1926 by a group experienced in photojournalism and film. It created multi-purpose stock images with the potential for selling a range of products. Whilst enjoying its greatest success during the 1930s, it continued in business until 1977. Photographic Advertising Limited's trademark, the staged studio photograph resembling a film still, was its selling point and, later, its downfall. Sophisticated, adaptable and generic, this kind of image gradually fell out of favour as clients increasingly demanded targeted advertising campaigns with specific photographs. ©SSPL/NMeM/Photographic Advertising