New Books in Popular Culture Caroline Jack, "Business as Usual: How Sponsored Media Sold American Capitalism in the Twentieth Century" (U Chicago Press, 2024)
Nov 13, 2025
Caroline Jack, an Associate Professor of Communication at UC San Diego, explores how sponsored economic education media shaped American capitalism. She delves into the role of ephemeral materials like pamphlets and PSAs, funded by corporations to promote ideals of free enterprise disguised as public service. Jack discusses the tension between education and commercial interests, the rise of promotional nationalism, and how these narratives continue to influence contemporary perceptions of corporate responsibility. Plus, she highlights instances of public resistance to these campaigns.
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Ephemera Reveal Sponsors' Worldview
- Ephemeral sponsored media reveal how creators imagined a desirable world rather than just selling products.
- These throwaway artifacts show what sponsors believed was plausible and worth persuading publics to accept.
Education And Selling Were Blended
- Economic education fused 'education' and 'selling' by treating appreciation for capitalism as evidence of understanding.
- Critics were framed as merely ignorant, making persuasion indistinguishable from instruction.
1919 ‘Your America’ Film Collaboration
- In 1919 the Wilson administration collaborated with Famous Players‑Lasky to produce 'Your America' films addressing labor, resources, and immigrant assimilation.
- Officials framed these films as tools to combat 'ultra‑radical tendencies' and 'win America for America ends.'
