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68 Vintage Ads That Show Just How Much The Entire Industry Has Changed (New Pics)
The point of an advertisement is to sell a product; that’s how it’s always been. But how companies choose to capture customers’ attention has evolved greatly over the years. And if you’re interested in getting a blast from the past, this list will instantly transport you back to the 20th century’s most amusing marketing campaigns.
We took a trip to the Vintage Advertisements subreddit and gathered some of their best posts below. While some of these ads are still brilliant, others wouldn’t go over quite as well today. But they’re all entertaining! So enjoy scrolling through, and be sure to upvote the ones that you can’t believe were featured in magazines or on television decades ago.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Between You, Your Husband And Your Senator, Planned Parenthood, 1982
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#2
Dad, You've Got To Help Me! Responsible Drinking Message From Seagram Company Ltd, 1987
#3
David Bowie For America's Libraries. Ad Campaign From 1987
Nowadays, it’s almost impossible to go more than a few minutes without seeing an ad. Whether you’re reading an article online, scrolling through Instagram, walking down the street, or shopping for groceries, you’re going to be bombarded with commercials and advertisements everywhere you go. In fact, it’s estimated that people notice around 100 advertisements every single day, though some believe that we’re exposed to thousands on any given day.
That doesn’t mean that we actually remember all of the marketing we see, though. 41% of Americans say that they only remember between 1% and 10% of the ads they’ve seen in the last 24 hours. And over a quarter of individuals note that they’re never persuaded by the ads that they see.
#4
We All Got Vaccines, Except Dad
#5
McDonald's Advertisement From 1997
Multa Nocte 18 hours ago
This only wouldn't happen today because 80% of McDonald's products are sold directly to Donald J. Drumpf and he's a foul, racist bigot.
#6
Grace Jones Honda Scooter Advert From 1984
When it comes to what kinds of advertisements Americans are interested in, over half say they would prefer to see marketing that makes them laugh or that entertains them. And Digital Silk reports that 46% of adults say they find advertisements on television and print to be trustworthy, while the vast majority of people are skeptical of ads they spot on social media.
In the United States, 41% of consumers say that they find TV commercials to be relevant to them. And over half of Americans would prefer to watch a television show with product placement than watch a program with traditional commercial breaks. 40% of people are also annoyed with all of the ads they see online, and over a third get frustrated when they see ads based on their search history.
#7
Homosexuals Are Different, Mattachine Society Of New York, 1960
#8
LEGO Ad (1980)
#9
In 1962, Bette Davis Published This Advertisement In Variety
Multa Nocte 18 hours ago
That's the year that "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane" came out, ironically.
There’s no question that companies have had to adapt their approaches to advertising as technology has advanced. But since this list is full of vintage ads, we’ll take a journey back in time to see just what marketing was like in the 20th century. Simplicity notes that there was a significant shift in marketing between 1900 and 1920 because of how the world was changing. Suddenly, companies could reach consumers on a broader scale, through radio ads and moving picture ads.
#10
1972.groovy Toilet Seats From Sears
#11
I've Robbed The Rainbow To Make You Gay. Jester Wools
#12
My First Day With Stayfree. 1970s
Huddo's sister 17 hours ago
They improved even more after that. My health teacher in the early 2000s called the 70s version 'surfboards'.
After 1920, the “Mad Men” era of advertising began. During this time, ads were all about selling the American dream, personal aspiration, and status. Advertising also started to manipulate consumers' emotions to sell more products. And companies caught on to the idea that racy photos and beautiful women could lead to a huge increase in sales.
#13
Got Milk Ads From 1999
Julie Rogers 18 hours ago
I loved the Got Milk ads. We'd cut them out of magazines when they featured our favorite celebrities.
#14
Don't Let That Cold Stop You. Use Minipoo. Late 50s Early 60s
#15
1939 Children’s Laxative Ad
Toujin C'Thlu 18 hours ago
In other words, dad's literally trying to beat the c**p out the kid
Jaya 8 hours ago
I interpreted "lick" as literally licking, with his tongue, and was so confused for a second 😄
Andrew Keir 3 hours ago
The follow-up - chocolate-flavoured toothpaste - somehow never really caught on ...
Then there was the “Post-War Boom” after 1940. This era of advertising was focused on targeting homeowners, while brands started thinking about retaining customers long-term. Televisions also started becoming more common in everyday Americans’ homes, so TV commercials became an incredibly effective way of marketing products.
#16
What I Like & Don’t Like In A Woman - Bill Blass Perfume Ad 1983
#17
Battleship (1967)
#18
1950s Ad For New Home
SleepyVampire 17 hours ago
$9800 in 1955 is roughly $118,500 now. A price anyone would be thrilled to pay for a house with a pool.
Next came the age of innovation. During the 1960s and 1970s, companies started getting more creative with their commercials. They could advertise on TV in color, and some commercials even started to feature celebrities. Offering coupons also became a popular direct marketing strategy, and being featured in a national ad could make an actor even more famous than being in films!
#19
Only Fans 1957
#20
"I Suffered From Menstrual Cramps." - 1968 Femicin Ad
#21
Now She Can Cope...medical Journal Ad, 1965
Multa Nocte 17 hours ago (edited)
And then we condemned anyone who was addicted to drugs.
As technology advanced rapidly between 1980 and 2000, marketing agencies had to evolve as well. Suddenly, they had to learn how to advertise on the internet, while e-commerce started to change the way consumers purchased anything and everything. And today, of course, we’re in the era of social media marketing. From influencers swearing by certain products that have sponsored them to your Instagram feed being flooded with ads, it’s impossible to avoid commercials today.
#22
Bike Pipe 1980
#23
Sears Men's Fashion 1960's
Are you enjoying this list of iconic vintage advertisements, pandas? Keep upvoting the ones that you find particularly entertaining, and let us know in the comments below what the most clever ads you’ve ever seen were. Then, if you’d like to check out another Bored Panda article featuring retro ads, we’ve got the perfect list to read next right here!
#25
Peter Pain Was Ben-Gay's Villainous Mascot From 1942-1965. This Ad On A 93-Year-Old NYC Subway Train Elicited A Lot Of Snickers From Today's Passengers
#26
Bradley Group Showers (1965)
Laszlo Larthlanc 6 hours ago
Are they all singing the "I'm so happy to be hanging out wet and naked with other good looking men" song?
#27
Maybelline’s Kissing Potion (1981)
#28
1987 Mcdonald’s Ad
#29
Ad For Mcdonald’s Breakfast From 1977
Multa Nocte 17 hours ago
McDonald's DID have a fairly decent breakfast back in the day, although the trend didn't last very long.
#30
Tupac And Jada Pinkett Smith In An Ad For Mondawmin Mall In 1987
#31
Wake Up Gay In The Morning!!!!!
#32
1967 - Rice Council Of America Trying To Win The Hearts Of The “Meat And Potatoes” Crowd
#33
1949 Formica
#34
“He's A Tough And Rugged Little Guy With A Look You Have To Love." My Buddy From Hasbro, 1985
Julie Rogers 18 hours ago
Still have the jingle stuck in my head. "My buddy, my buddy, wherever I go, he goes, my buddy ....
#35
1944 Life Savers Hard Candy Advertising
#36
Only Bugles Remain
Multa Nocte 17 hours ago
Oooh! I bought them all, but think I liked Bugles the best. Daisies were my second favourite flavour. Late 60s, I believe.
#37
Budweiser 1950s
Lee Gilliland 1 hour ago (edited)
Anybody remember a song titled "Why didn't we get drunk and scr*w"?
#38
1950s Cardboard Grocery Store Standee For Donald Duck Orange Juice!
#39
Wendy’s Pick-Up Cup, 1985
M O'Connell 4 hours ago
If you want a plastic-free solution to takeaway beverages, there it is.
#40
Introducing Twiggy Lashes By Yardley (1967)
Multa Nocte 17 hours ago
I idolised Twiggy when I was young. She was every single thing I ever wanted to be.
#41
Ad From An Issue Of Popular Science Magazine Telling People To Burn Their Old Batteries Because The Burning Zinc May Help Clean Your Chimney. Also, Colorful Flames. 1951
Ace 11 hours ago
In fact with the batteries they had back then this was nowhere near as harmful as it sounds today - they were not sealed, generally enclosed in a cardboard case, so would not explode, and were constructed mostly from zinc and carbon, relatively harmless. Some harmful chemicals were used in small amounts though, but unless you directly inhaled the fumes the effect on atmospheric pollution was minimal. Not to be recommended, of course, but not quite as bad as it sounds.
#42
A 1920s Peerless Ice Cream Advert
#43
Exclusive Prelubricated Tip Makes Insertion Easy And Medically Correct [1950s]
#44
Print Ad For The Dynamite Underwear Line By Munsingwear From 1973
#45
Shirley Simkins And Sally Hayes, Lfersavers, 1957
#46
Lightboy For Use With Nintendo Game Boy (1990)
#47
Hydrox Throwing Shade At Oreos (1954)
#48
1968 Hangman Bicycle Sissy Bar
#49
Oprah Winfrey, Unforgettable Woman, Revlon, 1989
#50
Meet Fred Flintstone And Barney Rubble At The Catonville Supermart (1969)
#51
Care To Take A Chance?
#53
I Found A Teenager’s Jewelry Box Decoupaged With Ads (1970)
#54
Virginia Slims Promotional Sewing Needles I Found In My Mom’s Sewing Supplies
#55
Vote For The New M&M's Color, 1995
#56
Salon Selectives (1987)
Fat Harry (Oi / You) 11 hours ago
Wow! I'd forgotten all about these. Now the jingle is in my head.
#57
1970s Jeno's Before They Were Totino's Pizza Rolls
#58
The Princess Telephone. Bell Telephone Systems (1960)
Lee Gilliland 5 minutes ago
Before this, you could have a phone in any color as long as it was black. Color phones were huge when they fist arrived.
#59
"She Wondered Why He Lost Interest So Quickly" - It Was B.o., Lifebuoy Ad
#60
Who Is Getting That Half-Cherry? (1950s)
Huddo's sister 16 hours ago
Why was there only ever one or two cherries in tinned fruit salad? My siblings and I always fought over them.
#61
Jnco Jeans, 1998
#62
Sears Open Hearth Family Room Furniture Ad, 1977
Laserleader 1 hour ago
This is the sets my grandparents had. Those cushions were covered with a burlap type material and very itchy on skin, but they made great cushion forts. They were made of carved wood with a spring box underneath, so they never broke.
#63
Mebaral, 1959
#64
1920s Orange Crush Advertisement
#65
KitchenAid [1954]
#66
Duracell Powercheck (1996)
Julie Rogers 18 hours ago
These hurt my thumbs. So much pressure required to see the power level ....
#67
Burger King, 2002
Tucker Cahooter 14 hours ago
So 2002 is "vintage" now? I guess I had better toddle off to the old folks' home then
#68
1977 Kmart Back-To-School Ad
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What do you think ?
nicholas nolan 9 hours ago
The common theory is that BP is having some sort of glitch in their censoring system.
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nicholas nolan 9 hours ago
The common theory is that BP is having some sort of glitch in their censoring system.
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