Here at Cleveland SGS we are big fans of the graphics of yesteryear. We are also fans of the sights and smells of public transportation. Put the three together and you get one of the most memorable and bizarre advertising campaigns in the history of Cleveland public transportation.

In 1972 Sharp Advertising Inc. successfully persuaded Cleveland Transit System (CTS) officials to spend $122,000 on a three month advertising campaign to promote CTS service to downtown commuters. The summary of Sharp’s advertising rationale stated that:

“The basic underlying theme of the campaign was “CTS, It’s not hard to take.” The obvious double meaning capitalized on the contemporary phrase, “it’s not hard to take,” yet also really tried to show the consumer that riding transit isn’t as difficult as he thought.”*

Much like Mayor Perk’s 1973 Impact Program Master Plan, Sharp’s 1972 CTS campaign generated some priceless commercial graphics and ad copy. Decide for yourself but our personal favorites are “Take #7AF at Richmond Mall, y’all” (p.6) and “This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius. And the air that will bury us.” (p. 3)

For your reading enjoyment we have reproduced selections from Sharp’s newspaper, radio and T.V. CTS campaign. Click here to view them in beautiful black & white flexi-print.

Source: CTS, it’s not hard to take : A summary and analysis of the Cleveland Transit Sustem’s three month advertising campaign, April-June 1972.

Most people would probably not envision this image when hearing the words House of God, yet the residents of the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood most likely do.  This structure was located on East 128th and Kinsman. This simple structure stood not only as a beat up storefront church but also as a symbol of the deep religious past and resiliency of Ward 3 residents.

SGS has amassed a vast array of newspaper ads from gentlemen clubs that span Cleveland’s history.  The ad above is one of our favorites not only because it honors the often under appreciated postal carrier, but because it features our favorite Cleveland pin up girl from the 1970’s, Peaches LaBanks.

Peaches photo turns up in countless go-go clubs, cabarets, birthday parties, and social gathering announcements in the Cleveland Call and Post throughout the 1970’s and early 80’s.  SGS salutes Peaches and hopes she is still smiling somewhere in Cleveland.

The Movie Exchange is a fascinating business in the greater Cleveland area.  The business plan is fairly creative and has many benefits for its customer base — no membership, no records, no late fees. It is a dumping ground for old videos that no longer have enough demand to justify rental shelf space and so, like the “mathoms” of Hobbiton, are not good enough to keep but are too good to throw away.  Customers could buy a VHS tape for $9.95 (for “normal” movie) or $12.95 or $18.95 (for porn).  These movies could then be exchanged, at any time, for $1, $2, or $3 respectively, as long as the carbon copy of their receipt was in hand and the tapes and boxes were still in good condition.  No rental periods, no late fees, no memberships.  Nowadays I think the VHS has been phased out and DVDs are exchanged; they were transitioning to DVD the last time I was in the store, about four or five years ago.

I was able to watch videos during my shifts, as business was always sporadic, and I got to discover all sorts of wonderful old films — Detroit 9000, The Warrior and the Sorceress, and Giants of Rome are memorable examples.  But the old movies were basically window dressing, all the real business was in the porn in the back room, which we helpfully organized by genre (Anal, Black, Gay, Bondage, Mature, Foreign, etc.) or by duration (4+ hrs).

The most interesting thing about the Cuyahoga Falls Movie Exchange, though, is it’s close proximity to the Ernest Angely complex, and most appropriately to Rex’s Erection.

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With strut season upon us Cleveland SGS would like to wish all of readers well with their winter time auto repairs.