“Do you make these 10 common typewriter mistakes?” and “How to buy a typewriter.” ads by Smith-Corona

The SCM Corporation originated in 1886 under the name Smith Premier Typewriter Company. With the success of their Corona model in 1914, it was renamed to become the Corona Typewriter Company. Smith Corona was created when L. C. Smith & Bros. united with Corona Typewriter in 1926, with the former branch making office typewriters and the latter focusing on portables. In 1962, Smith Corona changed its corporate name to SCM Corporation and adopted the tribar SCM logo. At that time, the company had become a major supplier to the office equipment market, offering photocopiers, typewriters and calculating machines.

These ads for their electric portable typewriters were issued in 1979, when the calculator market was devastated by inexpensive electronic pocket calculators, and the typewriter market was being undermined by inexpensive imports from Asia. The copy highlights quality and good design, and advises against cheap models. It didn’t help: in 1986, SCM was taken over by Hanson Plc. In the early 2000s, Smith Corona eventually quit manufacturing typewriters altogether. Today, the company leverages its expertise in ribbons and thermal technologies in the growing thermal label market. [Wikipedia]

The headline and copy are set in Weiss. “Patented Correction Cartridge” is added in the bold italic style of Century Expanded and Times, respectively.