This site requires Javascript to be turned on. Please enable Javascript and reload the page.

Design Stories: Exploring Everyday Things

The Hamilton Spectator. November 25, 1972. p. 161.

This page has annotations:

Contents of this annotation:

This page has paths:

This page is referenced by:

The Impact of Plastic Consumption A defining material of the post-WWII era, plastic rapidly became a staple in consumer goods due to its affordability, versatility, and adaptability. Before the war, plastics were primarily limited to Bakelite radios—once deemed as "the material of a thousand uses" —celluloid dresser sets, and a select range of consumer products (Meikle 1997, 278). However, wartime mobilization led to an expansive leap in production and application, and by the 1950s, plastic had become integrated into everything, from kitchenware and toys to electronics and packaging. As early as the 1930s, publicists had envisioned a utopia shaped by cheap "miracle materials," a vision that materialized in the post-war consumer boom (Meikle 1997, 278). With cheap oil fueling production, the plastics industry expanded rapidly, allowing manufacturers to mass-produce goods quickly and at large scale. The toy industry was among the first to fully embrace plastic as a primary material, shifting away from wood and metal due to its lightweight, moldable properties, and cost-effectiveness. Beyond toys, plastic enabled manufacturers to standardize production, significantly lowering costs and making consumer goods more affordable and widely accessible to middle-class households.
Understanding Throwaway Culture
Plastic was widely celebrated as a modern, futuristic material, and its use in home appliances and entertainment devices reinforced the perceptions of convenience and accessibility. However, this same perception contributed to the notion that plastic products were inherently expendable—designed to be replaced rather than repaired. As chemists learned to synthesize and customize the properties of plastic, manufacturers increasingly viewed it as the ideal material for a rapidly expanding consumer economy (Meikle 1997, 289).

The rise of planned obsolescence in product design further strengthened the link between plastic and disposability. In the 1960s, a decade synonymous with “throwaway culture”, many consumer goods were intentionally designed to be replaced within a few years (Whiteley 1987). The plastics industry embraced this trend, marketing new materials as symbols of modernity and progress. As one trade association boasted in a New York Time’s 1968 advertising campaign, new plastics contributed “a fluidity, a grace, a technological beauty of line and purpose that is sure to become the hallmark of a new way of life and a new American culture” (Meikle 1997, 279).
Plastic, Disposability, and Perceived Durability
The RM110 and similar portable record players embodied broader trends in mass production, material innovation, and planned obsolescence, as short-lived products rather than long-term investments. While plastic construction made these record players more affordable and widely accessible, they were not designed for long-term durability. Unlike traditional wood-paneled phonographs, which were built for repair and longevity, plastic record players were intended to be used, outgrown and stored away, and eventually replaced.

The 1960s and 1970s are often regarded as the decades of disposability (Whiteley 1987, 3), with companies actively designing products to become obsolete within a few years following its initial purchase. Evidently, this model has persisted into the 21st century, where electronic products are deliberately designed for disposal or annual upgrading, as manufacturers realized this was a profitable market strategy to drive sales. The RM110 was no exception. Each model, despite being manufactured and sold by varying retailers, maintained the same molded hardware exterior but often featured superficial modifications, such as colour changes, licensed character endorsements (e.g., Mickey Mouse), or limited-edition releases, which catered to appropriate youth-oriented, neutral, and gender-specific demographics. This compelled consumers to upgrade, repurchase, or select a model marketed toward a specific demographic, reinforcing the era’s emphasis on planned obsolescence and targeted consumer appeal.

Having survived for over 50 years, the RM110 frequently appears in pristine condition on online aftermarkets, sometimes still fully functional, while other times preserved as nostalgic collectibles. This contrast between its perceived disposability and actual longevity highlights the tension between mid-century consumer culture, which engaged with throwaway practices, and modern discourses of product lifespan and durability.

This disposable mindset may also help explain why the RM110, and its competitors models, were often advertised to children and teenagers, in contrast to higher-end models for adult consumers, typically constructed from wood and metal. Many consumer products marketed toward youth in this era, like toys, lunchboxes, and radios, were increasingly made from plastic, underscoring the idea that these products were temporary, inexpensive, and meant to be outgrown. Thus, this strategic material and marketing choice framed portable record players not only as music devices but also as a style-driven consumer good, subject to shifting design and market trends.
Case Study No. 1: The Shift Towards Pre-Teen in the Canadian Market 1 plain 2025-03-17T14:04:07-04:00
In the case of the Canadian version of this record player, its marketing throughout the 1970s suggests a shift in target demographics—from young teenagers at its introduction to a younger pre-teen audience by the early to mid-1970s. One of its earliest appearances in the Canadian market featured an ad that read:
Model RM 110
for the young set

Groovy valentine for the young teenager! White, beige and brown portable phonograph with solid state circuitry… high impact polyethylene case (guaranteed unbreakable for 1 year) 4-speed recessed turntable and has storage space for 10 45s. (fig. 8)
From its first appearance, the product was clear in its target audience—the “young teenagers”. The description of its “high impact polyethylene” case outlines an attempt to appeal to parent-consumers, capturing their attention in delivering a high-quality sturdy product. It is exactly this quality that marketers seem to have latched on in the later years of the product at Sears. By the early 1970s, it was no longer marketed primarily to teenagers but instead rebranded as a “kid-proof phonograph.”
As seen on November 25, 1972 in the Sears catalogue section of The Hamilton Spectator (fig. 23), the product was given the label “Double-walled portable ‘kid-proof’ phonograph.” The full ad copy reads:
Gift Idea!
Double-walled portable
‘kid-proof’ phonograph

A phonograph so tough it’s practically indestructible! Makes good gift-giving sense because it will last for years; offers musical enjoyment for the whole family. Easy to play—just plug in and place the Mickey Mouse** tone arm on the record. Plays 33½ rpm and 45 rpm records with pull-up 45 rpm adapter. Child’s safety plug. White/Blue cabinet.

**copyright Walt Disney Productions (fig. 23)
The record player underwent a notable redesign, incorporating Mickey Mouse branding, including graphics inside the cover and a custom Mickey Mouse tonearm. The term "kid-proof" was emphasized in the title and ad copy, reinforcing its durability with phrases such as “tough” and “practically indestructible.” This marketing strategy was designed to tame parental anxieties about product longevity and reliability, ensuring that parents, who were ultimately responsible for the purchase, felt reassured. The messaging explicitly targeted a younger demographic, marking a shift from its original teen audience to pre-teens and children.

A similar transition is evident in Fig. 7, which showcases the product’s first known appearance in the Canadian market in a Canadian Tire advertisement from December 9, 1969. The full ad copy reads:
4-SPEED C.G.E.
Record Player

Teenager hit! Plays mono or stereo. All-transistor solid state. Electronic Amplifier. 34-9320. (fig. 7)
It appeared again in another Canadian Tire ad one year later on December 8, 1970. This time, the ad copy reads:
C.G.E RECORD-PLAYER

A 4-speed mini-marvel for mini-swingers. Plays mono or stereo records—any size, any speed. Neat, compact—lightweight, sturdy. With solid state circuitry for instant warm-up. 34-9320.
- Size 13½ × 9¾ × 5½”; 4-speed turntable plays 16, 33½, 45, and 78 rpm
- 4” dynamic speaker provides clear rich sound, with electronic amplifier
- Washable hi-impact polystyrene case with orange plastic deck, tote handle
- Compatible mono/stereo cartridge (fig. 14)
Within these two Canadian Tire advertisements, we can observe a clear shift in target demographic. The earlier ad explicitly uses the term “teenager,” positioning the record player as a product for young adults. However, in the later advertisement, the language shifts to a more diminutive term, “mini-swinger,” suggesting an effort to appeal to a younger, pre-teen audience.