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Design Stories: Exploring Everyday Things

The Montreal Star. December 9, 1969. p. 29.

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Appearances in Print Advertisements 32 plain 7745 2025-04-03T17:27:31-04:00
Visual displays of advertisements
Explore a comprehensive timeline and physical map featuring all 18 referenced advertisements, showcasing their placement in historical and geographical contexts.
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Appearances in Canadian Print Advertisement
The earliest documented appearance of the General Electric RM110 phonograph in the Canadian market we could find was in a Canadian Tire ad on December 9, 1969 (fig. 7). Interestingly, it was not listed under its model name at the time. In fact, the RM110 naming convention only appeared in three known instances: first, in The Ottawa Journal on February 12, 1970 (fig. 8); then, in a “Simpsons Day” promotional ad in The Toronto Star on November 15, 1971 (fig. 9); and finally, in an undated CGE Home Entertainment Centre catalogue (fig. 11). These were the only confirmed print advertisements that explicitly referenced the RM110 model name in Canada, though the phonograph itself appeared in additional advertisements under alternate branding.

In the following year, the RM110 phonograph reappeared in a Simpsons-Sears catalogue section of The Vancouver Sun on November 14, 1972 (fig. 10), this time rebranded with Mickey Mouse imagery and marketed as the ‘Mickey Mouse Phonograph.’ Under this name, the record player saw its widest circulation, appearing in approximately 100 Sears advertisements throughout the 1970s. Despite featuring little to no CGE branding, it was also marketed under alternative names, such as the ‘Kid-Proof Phonograph’ (fig. 12) and ‘Kid-Proof Mickey Mouse Phonograph’ (fig. 13). A Hamilton Spectator advertisement from November 22, 1972 (fig. 13) explicitly stated that this model was “Made exclusively for Simpsons-Sears by General Electric,” confirming that the various Sears-exclusive ‘Kid-Proof Phonograph’ models bearing the same design were indeed produced by General Electric as the RM110 phonograph. Beyond its initial appearances, the CGE RM110 resurfaced approximately 30 more times in Canadian advertisements, primarily in Canadian Tire ads under various names, including “CGE Record Player,” “CGE 2-Speed Mono Player,” and “CGE Mono Tote”—each accompanied by the listing number 34-9320 (fig. 14, fig. 15, fig. 16).
Broader Market Reach in the United States
In contrast to its seasonal and limited advertising in Canada, the equivalent U.S. model, GE V211, had a much stronger market presence, enjoying thousands of appearances year-round in various newspaper ads across the country, under various names including (but possibly not limited to): “Child’s Portable Phonograph” (fig. 17), “Youth Phonograph” (fig. 18), and “Recordmate” (fig. 19). The first documented appearance of the V211 in the U.S. market was on February 13, 1969, in a Woolco advertisement listing products from “The GE Small Home Appliance Show” (fig. 20). However, this listing lacked product imagery, making it difficult to confirm the exact model. The first verifiable appearance with an image was in the Ironton Tribune on April 9, 1969 (fig. 21).
Model Number Confusion and Variations in Design
Throughout its advertising history, there were numerous occasions of misattributed model numbers, the RM110 and its US equivalent V211 was misattributed to a very similar model. Notably, a visually similar model featuring a different speaker design—with radial perforations instead of horizontal perforated stripes—was sometimes incorrectly labeled as the RM110/V211. In at least one known U.S. advertisement, this radial speaker model was instead labeled as the V181 (fig. 22), suggesting that multiple variations of the design were in circulation, possibly produced for different retailers or specific consumer segments. This pattern of model number inconsistencies reinforces the likelihood that CGE and GE marketed the same core product under different names and slight design variations to cater to different regions, retailers, and consumer demographics. Additionally, the limited appearance of the RM110 in Canada may also be attributed to CGE’s weaker presence in the Canadian consumer market, which likely led the company to license its products to Canadian firms for distribution and marketing. At least in the case of this record player, this strategy appears to have been a key factor in its branding and retail placement.
Addendum: Similar Model by Heathkit
During the initial research for this phonograph, we came across several models of Heathkit phonograph that looks very similar to the General Electric model. Attached here is one such case from a Heathkit catalogue in 1969. This further proves the case that this phonograph was similar marketed to capture existing trends at the time, particularly that of marketing to the emerging children market.
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.