“Those Magic Initials, G.B.S.”: Copywriting for the Irish Clipper

Abstract

The author explores Shaw’s foray into tourism via his participation in a 1948 campaign for Pan-American air service to Ireland. In order to continue to repair the public image of the celebrity testimonial against charges of insincerity and fraud, the campaign decided to foreground Shaw’s role in the copywriting process, nearly obscuring the actual product. Revising descriptions of Ireland and inducements to travel there, the playwright struggles against the imperialist undertones inherent in advertising discourse trying to appeal to American tourists. Nonetheless, the author argues, his “near testimonial” once more illustrates the symbiotic relationship between Shaw and modern advertising.