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Advertising of cars and new household appliances was largely through nationwide campaigns on the radio, in magazines, and at the movies. People began to see themselves as "needing" certain items of convenience rather than simply "wanting" them.
An example would be buying an automobile—a new American identity was one of car ownership.
Henry Ford was the developer of the first mass produced automobile - the Model T. While the idea of mass production was not new, Ford used an improved continuous assembly line to quickly build automobiles. Ford constructed his manufacturing facilities so that all the elements of production (foundries, machine shops, assembly lines) were all in one location.
He was also able to speed up production and drive down costs of automobiles by standardizing parts, focusing on specialization of labor, and through careful management.
At its introduction in the market, Ford's Model T cost $950. Within ten years, the same model cost $280 due to improved production methods. The automobile led to huge social changes in America. People began moving to the suburbs because of their widespread ownership of cars.
There was also a new need for improved roads and highways. Travel was more independent and vacations for pleasure became popular. As a result new businesses were needed such as gas stations, motels, and roadside restaurants.
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