Date of use : 1950 Belgium

Publibel Belgium Cards & Kodak Ads

This unused postcard is a nostalgic piece published as part of the Publibel series, originating from Belgium and featuring an advertisement for the Kodak company. In the image, a photographer is shown holding a large, box-style camera.

Publibel refers to a series of advertising postcards issued in Belgium between 1933 and 1984. These cards were printed by the "Agence Publicité de Belge Postale" (Belgian Postal Advertising Agency), from which the name Publibel is derived.

Initially, around 209 cards were issued without any numbering, but a numbering system was later introduced. Starting with card number 2225, letter codes indicating the language of the card were added: N for Dutch, F for French, A for German, and NF or FN for bilingual cards (Dutch/French or French/Dutch). Over the course of its publication, more than 3,000 cards were produced, and the proceeds from their sale were donated to charitable organizations.

Record Information

Title: Publibel Belgium Cards & Kodak Ads

Category: Advertising History / Commercial Ephemera

Subcategory: Belgian Postal History / Kodak Marketing

Country: Belgium

Date of use: c. 1950 (mid-20th century, based on design and Publibel series period 1933-1984)

Series: Publibel (Agence Publicité de Belge Postale – Belgian Postal Advertising Agency)

Issuance Period: 1933-1984, over 3,000 cards produced

Numbering: Initially unnumbered (approx. 209 cards), later numbered; from card 2225 language codes added (N=Dutch, F=French, A=German, NF/FN=bilingual)

Beneficiary: Proceeds donated to charitable organizations

Advertiser: Kodak

Image: Photographer holding large box-style camera

Object Type: Unused advertising postcard

Language: Multilingual (card format)

Material: Printed card stock

Dimensions: Standard postcard format

Collection Theme: Belgian advertising history, Kodak marketing, mid-century commercial art, charitable postcard programs

Archival Significance: This unused Publibel postcard represents a unique intersection of commercial advertising, postal history, and charitable fundraising in mid-20th century Belgium. The Publibel series (1933-1984), issued by the Belgian Postal Advertising Agency, produced over 3,000 cards featuring advertisements for various companies, with proceeds benefiting charitable organizations. This Kodak advertisement, depicting a photographer with a classic box camera, illustrates how photographic companies leveraged popular postcard formats to reach consumers. The multilingual approach (Dutch, French, German codes) reflects Belgium's linguistic diversity. This item is a primary source for understanding mid-century advertising strategies, the role of postal services in commercial promotion, and the cultural presence of Kodak as a brand synonymous with photography. As an unused card, it preserves the original design intent without postal markings, offering insight into the production and distribution of advertising ephemera.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.