25 Vintage Ads That Would Be Banned Today

These ads would definitely be banned today. While they can be offensive, I think its important to keep them around as a reminder that things while not perfect are better than what they’ve been. Great collection of ads.

Ha! I started shaving when I was 2 months old.

PS: Is it really scientifically proven that cola drinking babies grow up to be cool teenagers?

There’s nothing offensive in the MOPC ad, because mors is not an alcoholic drink, you know

Life changes, people change, ads too.

I agree with Valentina. морс (or mors) is actually a non-alcoholic juice, pretty close to cranberry juice… Although it is one of the most common “chasers” after vodka shots in Russia

That was a good collection of ads and they remind us of the fact that there are much stricter standards
even in advertising these days.

One ad looked suspicious, “soda pop board of America” simply because its contents
are ridiculous and the language is from the wrong period.

A quick google of soda pop board reveals that it is NOT a genuine vintage ad but
a modern joke, check out the link below.

http://rjwhite.tumblr.com/post/472668874/fact-checking

regards

Rikard Haldin
Finland

Wow, there would definitely be major outrage today if some of these were used….especially the ones about opressing women.

Why would the 2nd to last ad (the one about the Staydry panties) be banned?

Unbelievable. Times have changed !!!

OMG @ No.3. F*ck you Fairy!!

I did not get it – what’s so offensive on the ad no.1?

#11 is a fake ad, http://rjwhite.tumblr.com/post/472668874/fact-checking

before I saw the links stating that #11 was fake, it simply STRUCK me as such… it felt a lot like something one would see in The Onion… “laboratory tests over a few years show that babies who drink soda pop grow up to be well adjusted teens…” it takes more than a few years for a baby to become a teen…

Erm the last two are clearly for SEGA, not Lego

these have to be added!!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jX9QklC3G4E/SwTBFce7cZI/AAAAAAAAB4A/lBGt1paVjrg/s1600/Cigarette+baby+ad.jpg

This is grossly irresponsible. The title and prefatory blurb are plainly intended to deceive people into thinking that all the ads are real, and some of the comments make it clear that the desired effect was achieved. You are lying to people in order to make them feel bad about their lives and the world they live in. There’s enough awfulness in life. You are going out of your way to add to the sum of it. F*ck you.

I’m not sure what would get banned on #24. While panties is a term we wouldn’t typically use to describe ‘adult undergarments’ or ‘adult diapers’ more colloquially, it’s a product that still is used and unfortunately needed by many today. In fact, it’s more offensive to have it on this list than some of the other ads are in their original copy — unless I’m missing something?

@Otto you are probably right, however 26-1 still leaves 25 ads just like the title says

Those are awesome. Love the ones about men and women the best!!

LIttle rough for the fairy soap. lol

I agree with PinkPanda6 (comment number 8): why would #24 (Staydry Panties) be banned today?

I really miss the texture and the fine illustration of the old times.

Nice collection, but I do not find these very different from modern ads. There are ads where women do kitchen work. There are ads for bleaching skin cremes(maybe not in USA) which popularize the beauty of white skin. I believe we need more ads like these in our times. Political Correctness just went to far. A lot of fun has been taken out of living. Advertisers are making a mistake following the modern PC rules. A little bit risque ads will attract more attention and will result in more sales.

sooo funny

The Sega ads would be terribly funny in Italy. “Sega” (literally meaning “saw”) is by coincidence a vulgar Italian term for the act hinted at in the ads.

The Sega ads re so scary recent. But I find more disturbing the TV commercials where the Game Gear was compared with the Game Boy.
Hey! The man in the 9, isn’t he Darling from “Bewitched”?

just a comment about SEGA ads that will maybe make them more interesting to you non-italian speakers…
in italian SEGA indeed means the act of wanking-jackin’ off or whatever you call it… cool, uh?

[...] Internet connection – you should definitely see other cool vintage articles we had earlier: 25 Vintage Ads That Would Be Banned Today, 18 Cool Inventions From the Past, and if you are into computers – 15 Vintage Computer Ads [...]

First, the Seven-Up ad was because people did not use plastic or ‘notiably different than beer bottles’ bottles for soda in the fifties.

And mentioning ads about smoking is cheating. (Of course not. Smoking ads are banned.)

Idiot who wrote this is a idiot.

I’ve seen in Italy few years ago similar plastic shopping bags with a similar design like the “Cochon Prodigue” in this article…

Good collection of vintage ads and nice joke with cola, I saw that ad elsewhere and I thought that it was real

Is this the America they want back?

Does anyone else think the Staydry Pants kid looks like Wil Weaton?

I’m surprised these comments are so passive, some of these ads are outrageously offensive and perpetuated real detriment to society. Think of all the crime against women and blacks still accepted today. To those of you who think these are fake, maybe they’re just to bizarre for you to believe. Understandable. To those of you who think they’re funny, I hope you’re infertile.

These signs could probably still work in some countries today. They’re funny…. lighten up.

f*ck fairy. f*ck chlorinol.

grow up. these were from a different time… and for their time, those are some pretty clever ads.

I can’t seem to summon my white liberal guilt today. so: meh.

yup, democrats are always pushing for the era of big government and all the hate that comes with it. thank God for the tea party.

#17 shouldn’t even have been released. It’s ridiculous. Appalling even. The lettering is lost from the similar values.

ajajjajjajajajja

Amazing ads, I can´t believe the ads with children

Must be tough being such a racist choad in a country with a black President.  Keep that blood pressure down, Klan-lad.

QUANTA COISA DIFERENTE…

Am I the only one who really doesn’t give a s*** and just wants to look at something funny? I mean get over it people! I am white, do I care if a black person calls me a cracker? No, I don’t. Seriously, people are over offensive.

These are HILARIOUS. And all you soulless assholes who can’t laugh at the mistakes of the past, suck my DICK…. because this is a MAN’S world.

are you a black female?

This is HILARIOUS! Seriously. If people get unnerved because of these ads, they must not live in Europe. I’ve seen an orange juice commercial from Amsterdam that can put all of these to shame.

Unfortunately your brains ran down your mothers leg!

Outrageously offensive and very racist (against women and colored
people) and even racy!! That just says so much about men and white
people back then and some even now!!

I am female. (Of the generation of the first modern feminists–so old.)  I was alive when quite a few of these were being used.  And in the context of their historical milieu, they are funny.  It’s fascinating to see how far we can come . . how far we have to go.  Folks need to just calm down.  

Um . . Democrats aren’t the ones who want back some nostalgic 1950s life.  We never really HAD big govt like you are referring to  . . . so . . .yeah, Truth is right, you are a tad deluded.

Racism was a prominent part of culture back then, along with mass discrimination against women. It happened, it was wrong. All we can do now is stop the spead of these ignorant ideals from generation to generation. Theres nothing wrong with reflecting on these old ads, even if you get a chuckle or two out of them. It’s history.

A MEN!!!!!!!!

I’m a white woman married to a Puerto Rican man and we love the ads. In fact we copied many to print and hang in our very retro home. Many find it upsetting but seriously, why? It was a way of life that many such as myself would have love to be a part of. A much simpler time for most. I completely agree with Mortis comments below. People need to stop throwing around the “racism” card. You never hear white or Latin people throw it around and believe me we so could. But we don’t because we have respect for ourselves and others. So get over it. 

 You are totally right, some of these ads ARE hilarious, but they are hilarious because they are so ridiculously wrong and its amazing that a time existed where it was ever allowed. you however seem like someone who should go back to that time, as you are a complete and total idiot, and clearly a raging racist. Nothing is a worse combination than ignorance and opinionated. It sucks that you exist.

After watching the Queen’s Jubilee I had a severe case of nostalgia for the Good Old Days! on clicking on this e-mail I was instantly cured!  Wow! there is no way I want to go back to those Golden Days.  The young do not appreciate just how things really were and seniors who reminisce about these wonderful days need to get their brains checked out.

 I am female … I think it is funny.

Why ? Cause of it’s absurdity, thats what makes it funny. It would’t be funny if it would actually reflect todays view on women. That’s whole point of the joke …

Well, the black kids … I can see a tiny bias there. But again, consider the time those were made ! Taken that into account I would consider them rather innocent.

 really people, I find it funny that the this has become a racist discussion board.  I am sorry but tell me, the black people and white people both agreed equally to be in the add correct?  Get over it, I want WET television not just BET.  I want a white only collage, but wait that would be racist (except for blacks who have both of these).  You want equal treatment than give it to us as well.  Neither me, my parents, my grandparents or anyone else in my family tree has ever had slaves but I am still called racist.  I have four Indian boys that i adopted, fostered Hispanic and black kids as well as white. They all cried the same, they all succeeded the same, they each had their own hopes and dreams.  But I am called racist, you pigs out there that believe that one racist is better off or deserves more should trample off.  The adds are funny, each person agreed to be in them, stop finding bad in everything!!!!

I loved the smell of Love’s Baby Soft and remember the add.  I was about 13.  Didn’t think it was wrong at the time.  Now, it’s scary. 

Of course I would love to see these ads I would love to see the effect they do in today people. But in every country advertising is different. In italy is so boring I always turn of the audio on internet and tv ? I don’t watch tv but satellite almost only because there is nothing but commercials …

I know that a lot of these comments are old and the only reason I came across this site is because of a class assignment. Now to the point of the matter. I am both female and an African american, and personally do to the current era we are in found the ad’s to be unoffensive. I say this because so many people use the past as a crutch instead of grabbing the present by the balls and pulling it full force. I am not only a mother of two but also pursuing my Bachelor’s. My family just like any other has had their short comings but can we always blame everything on race. look at the ad’s! domestic abuse is displayed but can we say it only happens in Caucasian families, as well as cocaine use. The answer is No! Every race has problems and honestly racism shouldn’t be one of them. You have black’s that discriminate against black’s, white’s against white’s, so on and so forth. To take time out of your life to focus on putting down any person based on age, sex, or race only shows true ignorance. Until everyone can see that we all have the same goal, which is to eat, sleep, shit and eventually die, the world will continue to stay in a since of regression instead the continues progress that has been made over the many years.

So to everyone, White, Black, Hispanic, Asian etc.. Until we all learn that we our all one in the same way, it will continue to be a sad world. SO look at your family and were you are in life and criticize that before you choose to criticize another. Change starts withing and until we do some real self evaluations and fix the problems what’s the use in complaining about someone else’s!!!!

Cocaine toothache drops! Soooo funny!

crimes against blacks? are you having a laugh? too bizarre.

Origins of slavery??? Anna you’re talking ancient times my friend… Im talking ancient, b.c. times(before Christ). If you think about it, its probably been around since the beginning of man kind.

All races owned slaves.. yes.. even blacks owned slaves..

you need help man, get that hate in your heart fixed and join everyone else in the present time.

I am not surprised at the racist ads but I am really surprised at the sexist ads against women, I didn’t expected them to be so harsh..