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51 Old Ads That Are Such A Product Of Their Time That They Feel Like Messages From Another Planet
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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#9
Sue Corvette 1 day ago
Girls today have no idea what pins and belts mean in this ad. Thank god!!!
#12
Bill Swallow 1 day ago
"Look, we don't give a rat's @$$ if this is any use to you or not! Just buy our junk, OK?"
#15
Zatetic 1 day 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.
#16
Bill Swallow 1 day ago
The date had been going *really* well before Jeff's hair was repossessed for non-payment.
#17
#19
#27
#29
#35
Bill Swallow 1 day ago
"... and THEN, for some reason, she hit me in the face with a hot cast iron frying pan!"
#39
StarCrossedFriday 14 hours ago
So...men back then routinely got up, put on a shirt and tie, and then got back into bed for breakfast? I can only imagine the woman is saying "Jim, please - fine, I'll bring you breakfast in bed, but this is insane! Snap out of it!"
#43
General Anaesthesia 1 day ago
If you think she'd be happy with a dishwasher, just imagine what she'd do for a washing machine!
#44
StarCrossedFriday 14 hours ago
Why? Why would you need to disguise your air freshener? Was there some kind of massive social stigma?
#45
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What do you think ?
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
"When viewing these retro ads, what is your biggest takeaway?" I need an answer option that says "We have made zero social progress".
Shelley Dawson 13 hours ago
As someone who worked for a very famous agency and knows well the work involved in account planning and developing an effective proposition, it's amazing to see just how far we've come over the past years. However, I see the bean counters of many organisations don't understand the value of all the work and emphasis on the brand and customers. Some of the dreadful shyte I see on TV now actually upsets me.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
"When viewing these retro ads, what is your biggest takeaway?" I need an answer option that says "We have made zero social progress".
Shelley Dawson 13 hours ago
As someone who worked for a very famous agency and knows well the work involved in account planning and developing an effective proposition, it's amazing to see just how far we've come over the past years. However, I see the bean counters of many organisations don't understand the value of all the work and emphasis on the brand and customers. Some of the dreadful shyte I see on TV now actually upsets me.
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