History of Advertisements

The history of Mercyhurst and the changes the institution has undergone are captured by a variety of sources, including photographs, news articles, yearbooks—and advertisements, which provide information about Mercyhurst itself while also reflecting the contemporary social environment. One of the earliest advertisements for Mercyhurst appeared in print in 1930, and it emphasizes the college’s focus on women. The ad describes Mercyhurst as a “college for women interested only in the life work and problems of women,” reflecting the prevalent notion that women should pursue different activities, interests, and careers than men. In keeping with this notion, Mercyhurst offered only four paths of study at this time: high school teaching, home economics, social science, and secretarial work. These four paths were some of the only ‘appropriate’ careers for women during this era. The ad depicts the ‘ideal’ Mercyhurst student as a well-dressed young woman, indicating that Mercyhurst primarily attracted middle- and upper-class women during this time. Mercyhurst, according to this advertisement, was the ideal college for modern women, offering a modern education; the emphasis on modern trends reflects the postwar fascination with new ideas and shifting trends, a fascination that culminated with the fast-paced Roaring Twenties. Interestingly, while this advertisement mentions that the college was run by the Sisters of Mercy, it did not mention the college’s Catholic identity—possibly reflecting the college’s desire to recruit women of varied faith backgrounds in a time when anti-Catholic sentiment was not uncommon.

A few years later, the tone of Mercyhurst’s advertisements had shifted. After the difficult years of the Great Depression, the ads of the late 1930s focused on logistics. They promoted scholarships available to Erie students, stated the cost of a Mercyhurst education outright, and instructed young women about which high school classes to take to prepare for college. Clearly, after years of economic hardship, financial considerations were given a great deal of importance. Additionally, the ads of these years reflect the slow yet perceptible growth of women’s opportunities outside the home, as they informed students of potential career paths like dietetics and hospital technology that had previously been absent from Mercyhurst’s curriculum. But an education at Mercyhurst would not be ‘all work and no play,’ assured one advertisement that emphasized social opportunities like formal dances and recreational opportunities. One flyer from 1937 sums up the message of this period’s ads perfectly, stating that college should be both “profitable and pleasant.” Mercyhurst was a place for personal growth, as well as academic and professional advancement, and the ads of the late 1930s promoted this with enthusiasm.

The entrance of the United States into World War II in 1941 threw the plans of many young Americans into disarray. Young men entered the military to fight in Europe and the Pacific, and to fill the swell of job openings, many young women stepped up to work in factories and other previously male-dominated industries. The Mercyhurst administration, therefore, worried that women would opt to join the workforce immediately after high school, causing a drop in enrollment that could be disastrous. Luckily, these fears did not come to pass, as Mercyhurst experienced only a slight dip in enrollment and continued to grow in the postwar years.

In 1950, after years of economic depression and war, the country had rebounded—but the wartime shake-up of the workforce had increased women’s interest in expanded career opportunities. Mercyhurst, eager to demonstrate its ability to offer these opportunities, advertised its sixteen fields of specialization to attract potential students. Just two decades prior, it had offered four paths of study; now, students could pursue these original programs, as well as programs in fine arts, medical technology, pre-medicine, secondary education, social services, and medical secretary work. Times were changing, and Mercyhurst was at the forefront of that change. The Mercyhurst campus was also on the verge of significant expansion. Already, it had acquired its iconic gates, which were featured in a photograph in this ad; in the next decade, it would add a library, residence hall, and more.

But the biggest change came in 1969 when the college adopted a coeducational model and began accepting male students. “Mercyhurst Is Change,” announced one ad from that year in bold letters. Indeed, after a tumultuous decade for American society, change was an appealing word for many young people, and Mercyhurst recognized this. But it also sought to placate those for whom this change might be jarring, adding a quote from prominent Catholic cardinal John Henry Newman: “To live is to change... and to become perfect is to change often.”

By the 1970s, Mercyhurst’s advertisements had changed dramatically compared to the college’s earliest ads. Gone were the artful depictions of graceful socialites in fashionable 1930s clothing. Now, promotional materials featured photographs of male and female students alike in the lab, playing basketball, listening to a lecture, and more. These advertisements appealed to the contemporary desire for varied experiences and flexibility by promoting evening and summer classes and the college’s study abroad program. While still relatively small, Mercyhurst wanted to contend with larger institutions by offering opportunities of the same quality and appeal. Accordingly, the college advertised its new varsity athletics and travel experiences in Greece, Rome, England, Germany, France, and more.

For decades, Mercyhurst had advertised almost exclusively in print. But the release of a television advertisement in 1977 signified that the college had fully embraced the modern age. With a cheerful jingle encouraging students to “go away to college and stay right here,” this ad depicted the friendly atmosphere on campus with footage of the rowing and basketball teams, classroom experiences, and students socializing against the backdrop of blue skies and grand buildings. While over forty years have passed since its release, this TV ad is structured around a formula that has remained consistent in Mercyhurst’s advertisement ever since: utilize new forms of media to reach a broad audience, promote the institution’s top-notch athletics and academics, capture the excitement of student life, and show students just why Mercyhurst could be the place for them.