This short film has a very distinct message. The opening title notice, looking much like a political poster with a nationalistic statement urging us to encourage the support of Norwegian labour by choosing Norwegian products, leads the audience to believe they are watching a political propaganda film. This kind of advertisement was not unusual in newspapers in Norway during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
The film’s message is clearly addressed to an specific group – Norwegian housewives. Housekeeping was obviously a female responsibility, but here it seems that it is also a woman’s job to ensure that foreign products are kept out of the Norwegian market. This message is delivered in a straightforward manner. The subsequent revelation of the product – baking powder (bakepulver) – therefore comes as a complete surprise in the charming way it is presented, heralded by a young, smiling drummer-girl (the well-known “Freia-Girl”, here beating her drum with a spoon and a long spatula). The seemingly endless parade of tempting baked goods that follows underlines the benefits of the product. By buying Freia’s baking powder, not only do you support Norwegian labour, but you will also achieve an abundance of delicious cakes and cookies! The film ends with a delightful short animation sequence, with the company’s trademark stork, sporting a chef’s hat, twirling atop a tin of baking powder.
The source for this DCP is an original nitrate print. It was digitized in 2018.

Tina Anckarman & Magnus Rosborn