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51 Wild Retro Advertisements That Prove Society Has Changed A Lot Over The Years
Brands need good marketing so that customers buy their products. But good marketing back in the 1950s meant something entirely different from what it does now. Whereas now we're more sensitive to different cultures, minorities, and generally things that could offend people, it seems like marketing gurus of the past didn't bother thinking about that much.
Or was it just a different time with different values and definitions of what's inappropriate? We'll let you be the judge of that as you scroll through these vintage advertisements that Bored Panda has collected from various places online. A dash of sexism, bad medical advice, and just hilariously bad ideas are what these old-timey ads have in common.
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Bill Swallow 12 hours ago
"Look, we don't give a rat's @$$ if this is any use to you or not! Just buy our junk, OK?"
#16
Bill Swallow 12 hours ago
The date had been going *really* well before Jeff's hair was repossessed for non-payment.
#17
Sue Corvette 13 hours ago
Girls today have no idea what pins and belts mean in this ad. Thank god!!!
#18
#20
Zatetic 13 hours ago
Every Christmas my parents would give us a book of Life Savers. They contained 10 or 12 rolls of different flavors like cherry, butterscotch, tropical... We would trade rolls with each other to get the flavors we liked. I tried to continue the tradition with my kids but shrinkflation eventually k****d the fun of it.
#23
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#32
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#39
Toujin C'Thlu 12 hours ago (edited)
I got a Gameboy Color as a high school graduation gift, along with Pokemon Blue
#41
Bill Swallow 11 hours ago
"... and THEN, for some reason, she hit me in the face with a hot cast iron frying pan!"
#42
General Anaesthesia 8 hours ago
If you think she'd be happy with a dishwasher, just imagine what she'd do for a washing machine!
#43
Con O Cuinn 13 hours ago
Weirdly a better message than all these ozempic zombies walking around.
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What do you think ?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 13 hours ago
"When viewing these retro ads, what is your biggest takeaway?" I need an answer option that says "We have made zero social progress".
LakotaWolf (she/her) 13 hours ago
"When viewing these retro ads, what is your biggest takeaway?" I need an answer option that says "We have made zero social progress".
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