"James Heaton" wrote in message
...

"Richard J." wrote in message
...
Peter Able wrote on 02 Jul 2016 at 19:49 ...
"James Heaton" wrote in message
...
In old photos of London Transport, particularly buses, it's quite
common
to see a pair of adverts either side of the upper front window with the
legend 'the eyes have it'.

What did this advertise?

James

I believe that it was a rather subtle way of advertising the benefits of
advertising on London buses.

The actual phrase was just a pun on parliamentary procedure!

PA


The "eye" adverts were originally for the magazine Picture Post, and
typically had "PICTURE POST" on the offside advert and "EVERY WEDNESDAY"
on the nearside one.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...6018b5cd07.jpg

The only photos I can find of "the eyes have it" adverts look more modern
in style and typography, and don't look authentic to me, e.g.
http://www.tottenhamjournal.co.uk/po..._630/image.jpg

--
Richard J.
(to email me, swap 'uk' and 'yon' in address)

The photo that prompted this is in 'London Transport in colour 1950-69',
Kevin McCormack, p64. It's a 630 trolleybus dated Jul-1960.

I can't scan in at the moment but it's identical to your Tottenham Journal
picture - which is slightly different eyes to the Picture Post advert -
which had ended in 1957.

However - this prompted me to GIMFS as you might say - and
http://www.mikesbuspages.com/londontransport.htm has an authentic pair of
unbranded eyes on a 641 trolley about 1/4 way down, and the caption does
say it was usually a shortage of advertising - particularly when trolley
routes were being run down.

So the most likely reason is - as Peter said - they were put out when paid
adverts weren't in sufficient numbers to cover all vehicles, to advertise
the benefits of advertising on buses.

Thanks guys

James

There were two versions of the LT "eyes" adverts along with at least two
other "in-house" adverts for adverts. Those spaces either side of the front
roller blinds were also used by LT in the 50s and 60s for advertising for
staff to work on the buses. I know - I responded and got the job!

Of course LT preferred paid for adverts - often for HAIG or for GUINNESS -
printed backwards. When advertising was short in supply - or the pitches
were on vehicles just about to be withdrawn - the in-house adverts took
over.

As for Picture Post v. LT, two staring eyes have been used in all sorts of
attention-getting scenarios over the millennia

PA