Many folks alive today have never used or even seen these two old devices: the hand-crank telephone and the phonograph/radio in a box.
Susan says, “Theses two devices have gone the way of the dodo. You can only see them in museums, old movies and maybe your grandparent’s attic. Both represent a time when communication took a bit more effort. You could make a call from your parlor with the help of a hand crank and an operator. You could play 78 rpm records, good for a song on one side, or listen to the radio through a small, crackly speaker. Given how far we’ve come, digitally speaking, these devices seem cumbersome and only marginally useful. But then, they were magical, life-changing devices that closed the gap between rural america and densely packed cities with music and conversation. Whether these images are used to underscore the technological advantages we all enjoy, or to revel in nostalgia for a simpler time when a phone call was cause for excitement and listening to records was cause for a party, they are ripe with possibilities.”
Lucia says, “Or you could use these images to spur a conversation about trust and making connections. Even though dropped calls, dead zones, unusually long silences, are common occurrences during mobile phone conversations, we continue to trust that we’ll be able to connect with one another. Early adopters of the crank-handled phone probably had to exhibit the same kind of trust. Although the web is a major source of information, the radio is still a trusted medium. It doesn’t matter if you use an image of an old or new device to help make your point. The message is the same. Connect with you audience with strong, eye-catching images that support your story.”
