The New York Times Marked 175th Anniversary With Campaign
The media publisher is using its historical advertising archives to showcase the long-term endurance of its platform.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Advertising
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The New York Times has launched a 175th-anniversary marketing campaign that highlights the evolution of advertising throughout its history. The initiative spans a film, a digital experience, and print spreads to reflect on the publication's legacy since its founding in 1851.
Why it matters
For operators, the campaign underscores how established media brands leverage historical archives to reinforce market position and demonstrate long-term brand stability. By highlighting past partnerships, the organization emphasizes the enduring value of its platform to modern advertisers.
The New York Times has reached 175 years of continuous publication since its 1851 founding. The current effort builds upon a lineage of corporate partnerships including Ford Motor Company, which began advertising in 1909, and the 2014 establishment of the T Brand Studio.
The players
The New York Times
A global media organization and publisher known for long-form journalism and extensive advertising reach.
Studio Dumbar
A design agency specializing in brand identity and visual communications.
Ford Motor Company
A major automotive manufacturer and one of the newspaper's historic commercial partners.
IBM
A multinational technology and consulting firm that has utilized print media for corporate storytelling.
Tiffany & Co.
A luxury jewelry and specialty retailer that maintained an early advertising presence in the publication.
The details
The campaign, developed in partnership with Studio Dumbar, features a multi-channel approach including film and digital assets. It specifically reproduces high-profile historical advertisements, such as an 1851 Tiffany & Co. notice and IBM's 1966 space program feature, to illustrate the intersection of journalism and commercial messaging. This strategy functions as a branding exercise designed to reinforce the newspaper’s relevance to legacy and modern advertisers alike.
Timeline
1851: The New York Times was founded.
1909: Ford Motor Company advertised during its mass production shift.
1925: Heinz began advertising in the newspaper.
1966: IBM advertised its role in the NASA program.
2014: The newspaper launched T Brand Studio.
Market Landscape
This campaign follows the precedent set by the 2014 launch of T Brand Studio to modernize the organization's commercial offerings. It signals a move to integrate historical institutional credibility with contemporary advertising capabilities.
Operators should monitor how legacy firms use anniversary branding to defend their market share against digital-native competitors. Reviewing long-term brand assets for similar opportunities can help strengthen customer loyalty during milestone cycles.
The takeaway
Legacy branding remains a powerful tool for signaling reliability and deep institutional knowledge to high-value partners. Review your firm's own archival content to determine if past successes can be leveraged to demonstrate long-term stability to your current client base.
Further reading
For more on industry shifts in institutional marketing, see our Advertising coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Creative Review.
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