Advertising used to be the wild west, with no focus groups, Twitter backlash, or common sense. What was once considered clever, funny, or persuasive now often reads like a masterclass in “please don’t do this”. From shockingly inappropriate themes to bonkers product claims, these vintage ads feel more like satire than reality.
Is She Pretty?
Trying to sell soap? Just make an outdated joke about gender!
Weird Colgate
Yes, you’re reading it correctly. We can’t understand either, especially with those kids there.
For A Better Start In Life
Who doesn’t love their Diet Coke? But still, we wouldn’t give a baby a sippy cup of it.
A Man’s World
We still can’t understand where shirts and ties play a part in this ad or why he was in bed with his work clothes. We do hope she fixed something special on that teacup for him.
More Doctors Smoke Camels
These types of ads were super common when almost everybody smoked. It’s impossible to think of something like this being posted nowadays, knowing how smoking affects our health.
Safety Razor
This one wasn’t gore or weird, and it lowkey makes sense that you’re advertising a safety razor that works so good even a baby can do it without hurting themselves. The baby does look kinda weird, though.
Ground Spanks
This one would be impossible to post nowadays, especially with how much society is fighting for women’s rights.
Beer Will Change The World
This was an overstatement, but we for sure feel like the world’s a better place when hitting a happy hour.
Wizard Oil
We doubt this one was FDA approved, but it might have worked miracles. Look at everything this oil could fix.
From Dude To Stud
To make this a little bit more convincing they might have had to find different models.
As Fat As Pigs
What? I’m sorry, maybe we weren’t clear. WHAT?
It’s Nice To Have A Girl Around The House
Again, what does this girl/tiger carpet have to do with selling pants? Who even approved this?
Neat Christmas Present
Everything a girl wanted! A Hoover. Said no one ever.
Postage Meter
Yes, it is. Next question.
Syphilis
We wonder if this ad created some sort of fear of army men among women.
When You Need To Get Her Drunk
This is so messed up in so many ways. Her hair? On point, though.
Brain Tonic
Coca-Cola has been fighting migraines since the beginning of time.
Lubricating Arteries And Veins
And this is how high cholesterol infested a nation.
Pontiac Star Chef
Double meaning but message delivered.
It Sure Does
We don’t understand what twins had to do with the price of chicken in China, but we for sure know this was a dangerous experiment.
When Life Gets Heavy
He might need to sort out his priorities, but lowkey, same.
Marlboro Baby
Before the cowboy, there was a baby. It was advertised as a way to calm moms down before getting mad at their kids.
Bald Girl, Don’t Care
This one’s kinda funny, we must admit. To think that it was so groundbreaking that even a bald girl wanted a hair dryer is a little genius.
She’ll What?
What in the Wattpad “bad boy” novel fantasy is this? Can you imagine if someone did this nowadays? It’d be so cringe.
You Didn’t Burn The Beer
This one’s lowkey funny and kinda relatable. It’s also good that they weren’t expecting women to be great cooks.
What Wives Are For
It’s weird to think they’d advertise these things in such offensive ways, offending the people these products are targeted at. It might not have been offensive back then, but it sure is now.
The Harder A Wife Works, The Cuter She Looks
Apparently, back in the day, women not only were supposed to do all the housework but it was also expected for them to take vitamins so they wouldn’t look tired.
We Have The Youngest Customers In The Business
And they meant it as a good thing….
