The aucas found in this collection span 1937-1985 and are focused primarily on advertising a range of products, businesses, services or entertainments such as films, but also present are public service announcements for topics such as safety, health or the National Lottery. A common format is to relate some sort of tangential or episodic story and end by directly promoting the product or company of choice. Narratives tend to focus on everyday events that most families would be able to at least partially relate to. Many involve nuclear families and the day-to-day trials that they may go through. Common themes involve food, gender roles, entertainment, education, family, race and hygiene. Companies represented in the materials include GAMA, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Puig, and Unilever. Items in this collection appear in both Spanish and Catalan. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
The term "auca" refers to a paneled, cartoon-like graphic genre that originated in Catalonia in the 17th century. Some sources argue that the origin comes from the Latin "ave" in the sense of a sign or hailing, others that the term derives from a Catalan dialect word for "goose" which is the name of a game that still exists. Originally auca consisted only of images, possibly derived from playing cards or games of chance. The form evolved to comprise 24-48 panels (almost always in a multiple of four) with a rhymed couplet of text typically of seven syllables, although the poetic structure could vary. Mode of production evolved with available technology, from ink drawings to lithography to photography and modern printing methods.
During the 18th century, text and images tended to center around local fairs and festivals, anniversaries and other private and public events. By the mid-late 19th century the narrative served a more pedagogical function, and the genre came to be included in the ensemble of advertising literature. Also in the 19th century, the popularity of the Auca spread to Madrid and Castile, where it was known as "Aleluja" presumably linking the genre to the prevalence of religious tracts of the region.
Sources:
Tag Archives: Aleluya--Érase una vez: un "Auca"
Wikipedia: Auca (cartoon)