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This Online Group Shares 50 Funny And Weird Vintage Ads And Most Of Them Hilariously Failed The Test Of Time
They say that you need to explore the past to understand the present. Like flipping through historic photos that change our perspective or discovering time-honored places and the stories behind them. Visuals help us get a sneak peek into moments that we have long forgotten or weren't even aware of. But there are some illustrations, like old-fashioned ads, that offer heaps of wisdom into how our attitudes were shaped and often get overlooked.
So get ready for a blast from the past because one corner on Reddit called 'Vintage Advertisements' is sharing plenty of hilarious and plain outrageous ads that didn’t age that gracefully. Members of this online community let us poke fun at past behaviors and remind us of all humanity has achieved in the last decades, and their efforts do not go unnoticed.
From "Get into Grunge!" to "Should you drink if you’re pregnant?", these ads prove that hindsight really is 20/20. We at Bored Panda have gathered some of their best examples and wrapped them up in one list, all for your entertainment. So continue scrolling and hit upvote on your favorite ones! And if you’ve ever stumbled upon ads that are simply begging to be ridiculed, we’d love to hear all about them in the comments below.
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Superman Against Racism/Discrimination Ad Circa 1950
With a very astute message. Racists ARE un-American! They’re absolutely against what this country is all about. The Melting Pot. “Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free”. Scratch the surface of any American, and you’ll find out we are ALL immigrants, or descendants of immigrants. That technically includes Native Americans too. They may have been here first, but they came here from somewhere else, so are immigrants as well—-through being here first should’ve meant they had first dibs on the land they wanted. We did them really dirty—-talk about racism!—-and as a white person, I am ashamed and apologize. Sincerely apologizing and taking steps to make it right IS the American thing to do.
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Everyone was an immigrant at one point in time except Native Americans( indigenous)
Thank you for pointing this out. Never understood the US bashing since no one (save the native cultures) is originally from the US. Everyone else immigrated here, and people continue to immigrate to the US today. Speaking as a transplant from Canada whose partner is from England, my SIL is from Germany, one of my uncles is South African, and my partners gran moved here after his grandad died and is now dating a lovely Aussie.❤️
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Considering how racist comic books could be in the 40’s and 50’s, this is a reminder that when we imagine what a true hero would act like, we imagine them to be kind and inclusive.
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Because a lot of the country seems to be exactly what the poster is against. Hopefully it's just a vocal minority, but it doesn't feel that way. It is a message that should've passed the test of time. It's sad it didn't.
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Can someone explain how this "Hilariously Failed The Test Of Time"? Am I just slow? What am I missing here, folks?
Exactly what I'm thinking, america consists of different races and they are americans. If anyone thinks otherwise, then it's not an american way. Just like it's not an italian nor japanese nor a catholic way to disregard family because its important to their culture, religion, tradition and way of life... so I don't get what's wrong with that? If this article thinks we're not americans simply because we think bullying is wrong, then they're the ones discriminating.
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Okay, spookily enough I had a sort of epiphany just a couple of days ago regarding racism. I mean isn't it just inherently racist to class people of different skin colours as different races. Aren't we all the same race - ie the human race? And yes, I'm well aware that this is something that should have occurred to me before now, all I can say though is that I come from and live in a small mining community in Scotland and we don't seem to have the same problem with racism that bigger towns and cities do. In my personal experience anyway. I used to get asked all the time when I was a child where I got my dark skin from, not so much now as my skin has changed and doesn't like the sun as much as it used to. My paternal grandfathers family came to Scotland from Spain and that's where I got my dark skin and hair from. In a small mining community like ours that kind of colouration stands out, even though my Spanish side is a large family. I have always been proud of my heritage and I always.
Yeah, Superman! you talk about being all American! cause that's totally what you are!
I need to remind everyone about the ugly truth. My ancestors who were African stolen from the Horn of Africa were NOT immigrants. They were slaves. My skin is not dark because my female ancestors were forced to know their masters too well. Their babies were ripped from their bosoms for sale as chattel while they were forced to wet nurse the master's white babies. Freedom did not come easily. Black women couldn't vote until the voting rights act in the 60s. I will never forget. This country is in deep terrible with white supremacy. I'm sorry but if we forget who built this country with their very blood forced labor for profit we forget what little progress we've gained we will lose it all if we continue down the path of white supremacy as it's stands today in Prime Time on Faux News Network. Never. Forget.
I love this. I’ve seen this before, I believe it was published by the Anti-Defamation League. Superman is an undocumented alien, invented by 2 Jewish kids who were sons of immigrants. Superman is the ideal American power fantasy and it would be impossible to conceive of him as anything but pure goodness. Every time I see this it makes my heart smile.
I don't understand why this is outdated. This is still the message we're trying to send.
this fails the test of time because 1. all kids are white in the image and 2. because underneath it says help keep our schools all american
Yet there are no black, minority, or disabled people in this poster. Also 'Keep your school ALL AMERICAN!' I understand the concept, but bad execution
and there's one guy with a suntan standing in the back. O well, it was the 50s
1. Black guy!!! ONE! not even in cartoons about racism could minorities get accurate representation!! Lol
He is telling WHITE people not to be racist. Get it now?
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Not quite an all white crowd, the kid next to Superman is probably supposed to be Asian, and there is one decidedly more brown guy near the back of the crowd.
Load More Replies... LEGO (1981)
I love LEGO (the company) and their dedication to kids and education. I also still love playing with LEGOs...I still have my childhood set!!!
Bacardi Rum Ad, 1983
With the tagline, "Ads from the past!", members of this online community are always on the lookout for lesser-known visuals that leave people amused, enraged, or simply pleasantly surprised. Over 107k old-fashioned advertising enthusiasts follow the group and always take the opportunity to share their thoughts and have discussions about the illustrations and how much the world has changed since they were created.
Homosexuals Are Different, Mattachine Society Of New York, 1960
They All Got Vaccine Except Dad - Workbench Magazine - 1958
Poor bastard. People forget just how horrible it could get before vaccines became widely available. Whole wards full of kids in iron lungs, and graveyards full of tiny tombstones.
An Unusually Progressive Seagrams Ad, Circa 1970s
This one is quite sensible, even if it comes from a company that produced alcohol. The final advice is sound.
One of the main goals of advertising is to allow companies to get their message across and communicate with potential customers. After all, the world keeps evolving, and advertising is tagging along. It has become an essential part of our lives and, though some of us are afraid to even think about it, it’s carefully designed to speak to the hearts of the consumers and predict what our minds want. It taps into our hopes, dreams, goals, fears, and sometimes, it seems like it just keeps chasing us everywhere.
Philips (Netherlands, 1951)
Best Buy, 1999
American, 1885
But let’s take a step back, shall we? Interestingly, the first-ever advertisement was discovered in 3000 BC in the ruins of Thebes in Egypt. According to Sagar Joshi, a content marketing specialist, it was a Papyrus created by a slaveholder trying to find their runaway servant while promoting their weaving shop at the same time. "For news of his whereabouts half a gold coin is offered. And for his return to the shop of Hapu the Weaver, where the best cloth is woven to your desires, a whole gold coin is offered," the transcript states. Apparently, in ancient times, it was completely normal to simultaneously ask for help and try to boost your clothing sales.
1978 Star Wars Vaccination Ad
Electricity Was New Once. These Signs Were Mostly In Hotel Rooms And Other Public Places
Jester Wools (1947, UK)
Ever since then, people promoted themselves and their craft through word of mouth or by making carved signs and flags. A few centuries passed, and the history of modern advertising actually began in the 1700s. As Joshi explains in his article, those days were the pre-internet age, so the only way for brands to communicate at that time was through outdoor and print ads.
"Direct advertising, which involves directly reaching out to potential customers, was considered an expensive option before the internet," he explained. "Many organizations preferred indirect advertising because it was more affordable. Indirect advertising dealt with promoting a product or service in a subtle way, without sounding too sales-y. For example, big signs and posters in front of a shop."
1934 Ad By The ‘Society For The Prevention Of Cruelty To Animals’
Beauty Is More Then Skin Deep, Cordless Massager, Anthony Enterprises, 1971
Volkswagen Beetle, 1965
In 1704, John Campbell started to distribute the Boston News-Letter, the first continuously issued newspaper in the United States. Soon after it started reaching the readers, one of the first newspaper ads appeared in the paper. According to a blog post on Softcube, it was a real estate advertisement selling a plantation on Oyster Bay, Long Island.
"The Closest Some Of Us Will Ever Get To Heaven" -- World Trade Center (1980)
1979 Ad For London Transit Showing How The City Would Look If Built By American Planners
Drunk Driving Ad, London... I'm Going To Say 1930's? Sorry For The Light Reflection!
This one simple ad initiated a whole industry that soon embarked on a journey to change the world. The 20th century was the time when advertising started flourishing and is considered to be the golden era of advertising. You see, things took a whole new turn when radio stations and television came into play, Joshi wrote. It almost seemed like the industry sparked a movement that took a huge part in society – basically taking on a cultural status.
How To Carry 20 Megabytes Of Data Around In 1985
"The Day My Kid Went Punk... What Do You Do When Your Bright, Loveable, Talented Kid Turns Into A Punker Overnight?" - Abc Afterschool Special, Oct. 23, 1987
Drummond Sweaters - 1967
With the radio and television, ads started becoming more personal. Companies began directly reaching into the minds of consumers, trying to boost their sales and ask them to try out their goods and services. "Radio advertising was launched in 1922 and was a big hit, allowing businesses to convey their unique selling propositions (USP) directly to consumers. Advertisers started paying radio stations to broadcast advertisements to their listening audience."
Pan American Airlines (1956)
New York Pizza Burger (1980s)
One Oregon Newspaper Clip Reads: “We Appeal To Your Civil Patriotism To Co-Operate With Us In Our Effort To Stamp Out The Spanish Influenza Or “Flu” Plague In Portland By Wearing A Mask”
Joshi continued that radio ads were quickly followed by TV advertising, with the first television commercial airing in 1941. "Bulova Watch Company aired the first TV commercial, which was ten seconds long and seen by 4,000 people in New York," who were all reading one message, "America runs on Bulova time." This might seem like a small moment, but it set the precedent for the next seventy years. It inspired new ideas in the industry, and organizations started investing heavily in promoting their brand’s value and mission and engaging their target audience.
Eat Ironized Yeast (1930s)
Save Wild Life. 1975
As you probably can guess, then came the colorful days of the internet, which simply changed our lives. Joshi wrote that as the use of the web became more widespread, advertisers began focusing more on digital ads. Well, we're all well aware of that by being consistently bombarded with ads at any given time of the day. However, it's hard to deny the benefits the creation of technology brought to our lives. After all, it also provides us with the opportunity to flip through the pages of history and take a peek at the visuals that can tell us a lot about what ideas and attitudes prospered at the time.
1/2 Page Converse Ad Scanned In From A 1984 Playboy Magazine, I Just Read It For The Ads
Mcdonald’s, 1987 Ad
Really, Really Excited About Hot Dogs (1950s)
No, K Mart, No
Remember When Brach’s Pick A Mix Was The Best Thing About Going To The Grocery Store? (1970s)
I met Mr. Brach as a young child (he was a donor to the college where my dad worked). He thoughtfully gave this six-year-old a child-sized jackknife with his name inscribed on it.
The Establishment Wig, 1968
1977 Sears Catalog
"When In Quarantine; People Who Are In Quarantine Are Not Isolated If They Have A Bell Telephone" - Bell Telephone Ad, November 17, 1910
They’re not wrong. Except for the fact that not everybody had a phone back then, and using the neighbor’s phone kinda ran counter to the idea of isolating.
Schlitz "Don't Worry Darling, You Didn't Burn The Beer!" 1950's
“It’s Almost Like Having Another Lover There With The Two Of You”
Simpsons Newspaper Ad (1991)
American Airlines, 1971
Toll Booth Quarter Gun (1962)
70’s Ad For Asbestos
Matchbook Ad For Camp Wandawega In Elkhorn, Wi
Gay Boy Tobacco 1890
Garfield Telephone By Tyco (1978)
Fun fact : Garfield phones have been washing up on the beaches of Finistère (France) for more than 3 decades. A shipping cargo lost a container full of them. The container is stuck in an underwater cave, and it's impossible to retrieve it.
Yes, These Are Telephones. Created By The Ericsson Company Of Sweden In The 1940s, Marketed In The 1950s
"why does mummy always tell us to leave the room whenever the phone rings?"
Kickin Jeans
Cellophane (1954): Better Living Through Chemistry
Lose Weight With Pure Sugar! (1950s)
Note: this post originally had 106 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Quite a few of these weren't fails. And before we get too condescending, twenty years from now people will be looking back at us and laughing.
The title is wrong. I'd say most of these passed the test of time. Which is pretty rare when viewing vintage ads.
Anyone noticed how lot of this ads say "send XX for catalogue." You literally have to pay to get catalogue. Now they just keep on coming uninvited.
I remember those days,but you could, also, sometimes get free info , by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the company and they would use your envelope to send you info /price lists.
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It has only now occurred to me that I posed as a child in a catalogue so I can only count the years and pray I don't end up on one of these kinds of lists.
You want to see an ad that aged REALLY badly? Look up the Fairy Soap ad from 1912. You can't wash away the racism!
Quite a few of these weren't fails. And before we get too condescending, twenty years from now people will be looking back at us and laughing.
The title is wrong. I'd say most of these passed the test of time. Which is pretty rare when viewing vintage ads.
Anyone noticed how lot of this ads say "send XX for catalogue." You literally have to pay to get catalogue. Now they just keep on coming uninvited.
I remember those days,but you could, also, sometimes get free info , by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the company and they would use your envelope to send you info /price lists.
Load More Replies... It has only now occurred to me that I posed as a child in a catalogue so I can only count the years and pray I don't end up on one of these kinds of lists.
You want to see an ad that aged REALLY badly? Look up the Fairy Soap ad from 1912. You can't wash away the racism!
