International versions of Nat Geo?

[Edgar R Potter]

I am looking for a one-page ad I saw in a National Geographic that was delivered in Brazil in February 1975. I always remember it as being in an October 1974 issue, as delivery by boat mail was always delayed. In an effort to find that ad, I ordered back issues of NG from Aug-Dec 1974, but the ad is not in any of them, leading me to think there may have been special issues for sending internationally. I know some magazines printed on thinner paper when sending overseas. If that's the case, the advertising may have also been targeted for international purposes.

The ad is a one-page, full-color ad by the Portuguese National Tourist Board. It is the photo of a woman in a white, two-piece bathing suit on a sandy beach with cliffs in the background. I would later identify that image with a beach in the Algarve, Portugal's southern tourist attraction. The Carnation Revolution had just overthrown the Fascist Regime on April 25, 1974, and tourism took a big hit due to the resulting uncertainty in the economy and society that resulted. The Tourist Board was trying to regain the trust of tourists with this ad.

It was not the image that interested or interests me, it's the three large words at the top of the page, "Portugal, Come Hither". As an eventual consequence of those words, we spent 40 years in Portugal. Now, back in the US, I am writing the story of our 45 years in Brazil and Portugal, and that page plays a very important part of our story. Any leads are very appreciated.

[George Thomas Wilson]

Edgar,

I don't believe the Society published international issues back in 1975.  There are others here at the 'Corner that know the history better than I.  The advertisement I found was in the February 1975 issue.  You said you received it that month.  The Society had a policy of mailing overseas issues first so they all would be delivered about the same time, so it easily could have been that issue.  Anyway, here it is again:

BTW, I go by Tom

[Edgar R Potter]

Thanks for the info, Tom. This is not the ad I saw, although it includes the words "Come Hither". In the ad I saw, the words "Portugal, Come Hither" were in bold New Times Roman Italic, white font, perhaps as large a font as "portugal" at the top of this ad. It was a full-color photo of a sandy beach with cliffs in the background. It was obviously part of the same ad campaign.

If, as you say, issues were mailed overseas much earlier to account for delayed delivery, it may be that the ad I saw was actually in the January 1975 edition, which arrived in the interior of São Paulo State in mid-February. If someone in the Forum can confirm that, that would be great. In any case, I'm inclined to order that issue based on your reply.

BTW, Edgar is the way I sign when writing in Portuguese, but in English, I go by Ed. Cheers.

[stephen zamarin]

Hi,

If your issues from 1974-1975 were delivered to you in Brazil, they were likely overseas copies rather than United States copies that would gear advertising toward Americans. The overseas copies would have radically different advertising in the interior and back covers of the magazine. National Geographic had been doing regional advertising variations in their magazines since at least 1971 or likely even earlier.  Your best bet would be to try to get in contact with someone on this board from Europe or South America who would likely have the copies you are looking for.

Stephen

[Edgar R Potter]

Thanks for confirming my suspicion, Stephen. I contacted NatGeo directly to ask about international variations, but of course, didn't get a reply. Tom's response gave me a glimmer of hope, however, in that there is an ad along the same line in the Feb 75 issue, but the graphics are radically different. Perhaps there is some member of the forum who received the NatGeo in South America in late 1974 who might have a copy for comparison.

Ed