With back-to-school season in motion, our object of the month for September is this 1940s Bates dorm bedspread commercial featuring students from colleges and universities across the United States. The film introduces the Bates Mill marketing strategy of “College Board Approved” bedspreads and draperies. The college board consisted of students from various schools, big and small, spanning from New England to California, who chose bedspreads that fit the latest style trends. It’s also worth noting that future president George H. W. Bush and first lady Barbara Bush were members of the College Board for many years and are featured in this promotional. Over the company’s lifetime, Bates designed and manufactured thousands of unique bedspread patterns for students across the United States. This marketing strategy propelled Bates to become a front-runner in dorm bedspreads between the 1940s and 1970s. Bates College recently wrote an article about the commercial – read more here.