When playing cards were used for advertising

For much of the 20th century, packs of cards with a brand’s logo on the back were a common promotional gift. Drinks, chocolate and car brands, along with insurers and banks, made the most of the fact that people used them for years at home or in the bar: their name was on show during every game.

The perfect advertisement

Think about it: a pack of cards passes through plenty of hands, gets used every day and lasts a long time. In bars, there was always one on the table, too. We explore this in why Spanish bars always had a pack of cards. There was no better showcase.

Where the advert went

• On the back: the most common option, featuring the brand’s logo or an illustration.
• On the box: in eye-catching colours.
• On the as de oros (ace of coins) or the comodines (jokers): sometimes with a slogan.

Now they’re collectors’ items

Many of these packs are now highly sought-after objects. A pack from an aniseed spirit brand dating back to the 1960s can tell us a lot about what the country was like. Some people collect them by brand or period. We look at this in the largest playing card collections and playing card museums.