First-ever barcode scanner is focus of award-winning photographer Cade Martin campaign for Smithsonian Magazine
by Cade Martin | Aug 26, 2024
I’m a broken record on collaboration, so when my frequent partner Jeff Campagna at Smithsonian Magazine asked me to check out this project, I was quick to pull in amazing talent in the folks at POP Creative to see if they would be interested in teaming up to give a supermarket scanner its due.
Did you know the first supermarket scanner was used at a Marsh’s supermarket in Ohio in 1974? And that the first item scanned was a pack of gum? Now you do. 50 years later, that clunky black box resides out of view in the electronic collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
Our challenge was to photograph it…and make it sing.
The Marsh logo had a classic 1970’s design feel, with its bold curvy typeface and red, orange, yellow striped graphic design, so embracing a 70’s vibe seemed appropriate. Capturing function as well as form, the stripes resemble barcode design, the curves recall the arc of an item passed over the scanner from belt to bag.
Tying together the 1974 scanner with Marsh’s supermarket and the first-ever barcode was a nice homage and nod to history. We were hoping to integrate those design elements in our final visual, strengthening the historical significance of the anniversary for the Smithsonian, while offering extra layers of visual interest.
Maybe you’ll think of Marsh’s and that first scanner while you swing through the self-checkout next and scan your own pack of gum.
You can check out the story here.
The only child of a university art professor and freethinker mother, Cade Martin grew up surrounded by shapes and images. His love of art grew out of summer vacations filled with trips to galleries, museums and art studios. At home he often found himself around the dinner table with an eclectic cast of characters – sculptors, writers and painters. They paraded through his childhood, shaping his art foundation and forming his appreciation for the candid beauty found in people from all walks of life. Cade’s been chasing characters ever since. He seeks out their stories-told through the architecture of their faces or the costumes they wear-whether he’s on a commercial production or setting up an Avedon-like photo booth at Comic Con. They are the heroes in his pictures. His thirst for capturing adventures took its hold while shooting stills on movie sets and then as a photographer for National Geographic covering the railways of India. And it is that sense of adventure that Cade brings to his productions elevating the ordinary to the extraordinary with a cinematic touch. It’s not just a picture. He’s committed to the experience, building beautiful environments and, sometimes for his portraits, simply building trust. A talented storyteller, Cade splits his time between the East and West Coasts creating images for editorial, advertising, fashion, and lifestyle clients
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