Christmas Puddings EMB
The Empire Marketing Board was formed in May 1926 by the Colonial Secretary Leo Amery to promote inter-Empire trade and to persuade consumers to ‘Buy Empire’.
The board had three principal aims: to support scientific research, promotion of economic analysis, and garner publicity for Empire trade. Scientific research took up a large proportion of the EMB’s work and budget. It also had its own EMB film unit led by John Grierson, often considered the father of modern documentary film, which produced around 100 films with such names as ‘Solid Sunshine’ (which promoted New Zealand butter), ‘Song of Ceylon’, ‘Wheatfields of the Empire’, ‘Industrial Britain’ and ‘One Family’.
Colonial governments were perhaps understandably reluctant to join the EMB, however, and the organisation was wound up in September 1933. Partly as a result of both government cuts (it always had been a relatively small budget) and when the 1932 Empire Economic Conference in Ottawa agreed to implement ‘Imperial Preference’, by 1 October 1933 the EMB was no more..
Poster designed by Edward Barnard Lintott.
The Buy British Campaign of 1931 was the National Government’s attempt to tackle a balance of payments crisis without initially resorting to tariff protection. The operation was managed by the Empire Marketing Board
By Singapore pineapples in tins. EMB
Bananas EMB
Southern Rhodesian Tobacco, advert for the Empire Marketing Board illustrated by John Nash, 1929
Empire Marketing Board poster 1926-1933
South African Orange Orchards
Cyprus Cigarettes
Charles Pears in 1931 for the Empire Marketing Board
Poster Ft Union Of South Africa & UK Map 1928
Gerald Spencer Pryse (1882-1956) | SORTING MANGANESE ORE
Empire Marketing Board poster c.1930 Margaret Clarke
Prosperity from the Empire c.1930.
Motor Manufacturing Clive Gardiner c.1930.
A Blast Furnace Clive Gardiner c.1930
Making Electrical Machinery Clive Gardiner c.1930
Our Share (in black) of Total Imports Mann 1930
Buy From Home c. 1930 Frank Newbould
Shipping Lanes Between Empire Countries D.M. Batty c.1930.
Would you like to support Flashbak?
Please consider making a donation to our site. We don't want to rely on ads to bring you the best of visual culture. You can also support us by signing up to our Mailing List. And you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For great art and culture delivered to your door, visit our shop.
