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The marketing of Matson and "The White Ships" came in many forms. Below is a small sample of some of the materials used to promote the ships to prospective passengers, as well as a selection of shipboard souvenirs and memorabilia.
Much of the artwork for Matson's print advertising in the 1930s and 40s was provided by celebrated pictorialist photographers Anton Bruehl and Edward Steichen, while the illustrations of artists John Kelly, E. Melbourne Brindle, Frank Macintosh, Eugene Savage and Louis Macouillard were found on shipboard decor and on many of the printed souvenirs offered to passengers (menus, playing cards, etc.).
Menus in particular have become valuable collector's items for maritime historians and enthusiasts of Hawaiiana. Many souvenirs and prints sold today in Hawaiian gift shops feature reproductions of Matson's menu art.
Matson also produced countless special color brochures and posters, advertising special voyages like the "Millionaires' Cruise" aboard the Malolo, or summer cruises to Alaska in later years.
Other shipboard memorabilia also reflected the "Crossroads of Content in Hawaii". Passenger lists, activity booklets, The Polynesian daily newspaper, playing cards, baggage tags, stationery, postcards, match books, ashtrays, lighters, and much more have become valuable collectibles today.
In 1961, Matson created the Mariner Club, a frequent passenger program for its most loyal customers. A line of ship-related souvenirs was created by the Club to reward members who made repeat voyages on any of the White Ships.
Items such as cufflinks, paper weights, letter openers and jewelery (along with a souvenir certificate) were presented to passengers during their cruise, as they rose up the Mariner Club ranks based on the number of miles they had travelled.
After the Monterey and Mariposa were purchased by Pacific Far East Line (PFEL) in 1971, the Mariner Club continued to operate, and reunion cruises were organized for old Matson passengers and cruise staff.
The Mariner Club still exists today through Golden Bear Travel of Novato, Calif. - a cruise travel agency named by founder John Bell to honor the "Golden Bear" on the funnel of PFEL's White Ships. When Pacific Far East Line went bankrupt in 1978, the Monterey and Mariposa lay idle for several years, until the Monterey was bought and renovated by Aloha Pacific Cruises (the Mariposa operated in China for a few years before being sent to wreckers in India in 1996).
Hoping to recapture the White Ships tradition with new cruises in the Hawaiian Islands, Aloha Pacific put forth an image of luxury and decadence. Unfortunately, the venture failed. The Monterey was sold again, this time to Mediterranean Shipping Cruises in Europe, where she still operates today.
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Matson's "White Ships" and the ports they visited were vividly promoted in a series of print advertisements and other promotional materials, beginning in 1927 with the launching of the Malolo and its unprecedented 4 1/2 day service from California to the "stately palms of fair Hawaii." A stunning variety of ads and promotions continued for the duration of the ships' American passenger service, until the mid 1970s. Below is a chronological sampling of some of the ads, from various American publications.
The frequency and variety of the company's ads increased, and the quality was superior, reflecting the high quality of service offered on board the ships. Ads for the White Ships appeared regularly in widely-read American publications like National Geographic, Life, Fortune and Holiday, and played a great part in the growth of Hawai'i as a paradise destination for well-heeled, sun-seeking tourists.
click
on ads to enlarge
The
images and words in Matson's ads (in black and white until 1933,
and then in full, glorious color) depicted a carefree life of
leisure and a promise of an unforgettable journey on "Ships
as Vivid as their Destination"... where luxury "In the
Grand Manner of Matson" extended from the pier in San Francisco
or Los Angeles, to the splendors of Hawai'i and beyond.
The brilliant color photography, magnificent artists' illustrations, and Polynesian graphic themes in the ads of the 1930s reflected a new standard of advertising, showcasing American opulence and freedom... Hawaiian style. This style was also used to great effect in Matson's other marketing and promotional materials, including brochures and posters at travel agencies, as well as a variety of shipboard souvenirs, from menus to playing cards.
click
on ads to enlarge
Images of the South Seas depicted life aboard ship and on remote, exotic Pacific islands as a lifestyle that had never before been possible, taking full advantage of many new geographic horizons made accessible by Matson, and a flourishing American society that welcomed deluxe travel escapes... not to mention some remarkable advances in color printing technology. Exotic Hawaiian flowers, beautiful maidens lounging by tropical pools, bronzed surfers, and glamorous couples portrayed a new lifestyle to America that seemed too good to be true. click on ads to enlarge
World War II was a dramatic turning point in America's history, and Matson's passenger ships were directly involved. All four White Ships were commissioned by the US military, and converted into gun-carrying troop transports. Hundreds of thousands of servicemen and women were ferried around the world to support the War effort. Between the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941) and the end of the War in 1945, Matson ran several patriotic ads to remind Americans of their duty to serve. click on ads to enlarge
When the War ended, the American population enjoyed great prosperity and many new freedoms. Unfortunately, Matson's five year absence from the Pacific passenger business and its War service meant that four expensive ships needed massive, costly re-fits. At the same time, deluxe trans-Pacific airline service was on the horizon, eventually making it possible for Americans to reach Hawai'i and points beyond in just hours, instead of days. This was to become Matson's first real competition on its California-Hawai'i turf. click on ads to enlarge
The reorganization of the Matson fleet after the War necessitated the sale of the original Matsonia and Mariposa. The Lurline was renovated at a cost of $19 million, and resumed service alone on the California-Hawaii circle route, while the Monterey lay idle awaiting a re-fit. Advertising images during the late 40s-early 50s became much more lively and cartoonish than the formal, elegant ads of previous years, reflecting the spirit of the post-War America. Life aboard the Lurline appealed to a younger, more active, fun-seeking passenger. Hollywood celebrities made frequent voyages, even appearing in some of Matson's ads. Americans flocked to visit what was soon to became the 50th state. click on ads to enlarge
In the mid 1950s, Matson decided to re-enter South Pacific service, and in 1956 converted two former "Mariner-class" freighters into the newest versions of the Monterey and Mariposa. These ships, built in 1952, were considerably smaller and not as luxurious than their predecessors, but no less pleasurable for a maturing South Pacific tourism industry. The Matsonia (formerly Monterey) joined her sister, the Lurline on the Hawai'i run in 1957. click on ads to enlarge
By this time, both the Lurline and Matsonia were beginning to show their age, and an increasing number of travellers were choosing to visit the Islands (and other exotic destinations worldwide) by air, with 707 and DC8 jets shortening the flight from the west coast to just five hours. In the same way that the magnificent Malolo and its 4 1/2 day crossing revolutionized travel to Hawai'i in 1927, airlines were now setting a new standard. All four White Ships were put into service on new cruises to new destinations, including Mexico and Alaska. A new era in leisure cruise travel was quickly emerging. The impact of Matson's passenger service to Hawai'i and the Antipodes was diminishing, and rougher seas lay ahead. click on ads to enlarge
In February, 1963, while the Matsonia lay idle due to a decline in business, the Lurline's main turbines shut down and she was deemed too costly to repair. She was sold to the Chandris Line, and the Matsonia was put back in service, re-born as the fourth Lurline. By the late 1960s, Matson was confronted by rising costs (including expensive, unionized American labor and costlier fuel), as well as insurmountable competition from airlines and resorts in Hawai'i and elsewhere. Matson's parent company, Alexander & Baldwin, was losing money on its shipping business. Although the White Ships were often full, and despite subsidies provided by the US government, increased operational costs could not be offset. After selling the last of the original four White Ships, the Lurline, to Chandris in 1970, Matson's ran its last advertisements for passenger service. They were suitably dreary and sad in comparison to the "good old days". The Mariposa and Monterey were sold to Pacific Far East Line in 1971. click on ads to enlarge
Pacific Far East Line continued to operate the Mariposa and Monterey until 1978, when American government subsidies ran out and new buyers could not be found. PFEL did not run many print ads, but they did produce some rather garish brochures and other materials. PFEL did its best to re-capture the "Grand Manner of Matson", and was able to rely on ex-Matson personnel and sentiment to keep the White Ships tradition alive for a short time. But in reality, they were promoting 1956-era ships to a much more sophisticated, dwindling customer base, in a region that had been taken over by airlines and resort hotels. The Mariposa made its final passenger carrying voyage as an American ship in April, 1978, and was then sold to operators in China, before finally being scrapped in India in 1996. The Monterey still operates today, flying the Panamanian flag for Mediterranean Shipping Cruises. The ship was extensively renovated in the mid 1980s, but some of the original Matson fittings are still in prominent view, providing a small but vivid reminder of the White Ships era. The original four White Ships (Malolo, Mariposa, Monterey and Lurline) all ended up with various European owners and foreign registry after being sold by Matson between 1949 and 1970. All are now gone. Click here to see what became of the original White Ships in the post-Matson years. |
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© 2007
