We live in the Age of Offendability. And yet we can all agree (or at least most of us can) that some things are always wrong: racism, sexism, drug abuse, endangerment of children. So it’s shocking to see how often these very things have been used to sell products over the years!
Let us offer:
Scorn where it’s truly deserved,
Grace where values are new or evolving, and
Laughter where standards have changed with knowledge.
Click on any image to enlarge it, or to begin slide show.
WOW! Those would never be allowed today.
Very, very interesting post!
I have always liked butter.
Yikes a mundo!
Wow! False advertising may be a repetitive term! More lard!!
Yikes!
lol @ the love’s babysoft haha
that peacock suit has me checking my checking account balance though lol
have a good friday Mitch
Mike
To start, these are hilarious and it shows how different society is today. Any males reading this need to do so in private as I would hate to have show my wife “What’s so funny?” She wouldn’t be amused. Second, these remind me of going to the drug store with my grandparents (early 1960s) and they had leeches for sale in jars. Our reason to be there however, was to refill her Paragoric bottle. If I recall, it some similar to liquid heroin and I know they gave it to me, but to cure what, I do not recall. Fun times
Holy cow. I’m not even sure how to respond other than disrespectful on so many levels.
Those are definitely cringe worthy. Amazing to see that edible underwear were a thing back then, right along with wife beating, and narcotics.
Awful.
Cringe-worthy…and FUN. Can serve as wonderful historical markers.
Wow! Cringing and laughing!
Drugs are everywhere now!
Wow! Just, wow!
These remind me of just how gullible Wallstreet thinks we are. Not only Wallstreet, but politicians also discovered that a large part of the electorate won’t think for itself. So, why bother folks with facts. Just tell them what they want to hear.
Oh My! We’re those real ads? I still like Loves Baby Soft and Mento’s and I am 60 years young.
Wow. I’d never seen one of those baby ejector seats before!
I know, right?
Yikes! I clicked on “Like” because I like that such ads wouldn’t be seen today!
Omg my Mom had those Wonder Sauna Hot Pants…i wore em a few times as a chunky kid 🤣
;>)
Ugh! I need Mentos, pronto!
When going to the drugstore meant getting no-nonsense DRUGS – cocaine, heroin & amphetamines ! Yikes !
;>)
Ah, for the good old days.🙄
There’s a naivety about them, … almost, … 💫Penn💫
I agree, Penny.
Omg, where did you find all of those. You deserve a prize!
;>) Thanks.
I’ve seen some of these before and it seems bizarre but it was different times and different values, and an indicator that we’ve actually made progress (I think).
My, how times have changed!! But, conversely, think what someone in the 40’s or 50’s would think about the ads we watch or read. We are inundated with drug ads for impotence and all kinds of illnesses, bent penis ads, feminine products ads, gambling ads, very sexy ads, beer & alcohol ads, etc. I can just see my grandmother shaking her head, saying “oh, mercy.”!
Right you are, Lisa.
These are hilarious!
Some of the ads from back in the day were just jaw-dropping. LOL. A lot of stuff was released without a care in the world!
Apparently so, trE!
Oh my … 😬
Marty and I have been noticing something disturbing, and maybe it’s because we watch a lot of reruns of good comedies. Have you noticed that about every other commercial is for some kind of drug? – “Ask your doctor about Rundeathisnear.” (They seem to alternate between drug commercials and health insurance commercials.) Someday the next generation may look back on all those and cringe, too.
No doubt, Annie.
Oh, dear. I remember some of these.
They made oleo spread out of ponies!!!
eek!
Where did you find them? 😩😬😯😮😥🫨🤕
;>)
{}^)
The work you put into your posts, awesome
Thanks, L.G.
LOL
Happy bc they eat lard😂 my mom had some of those sauna pants! We laughed at her then too. They didn’t work but were fun to wear!
The old ways were sure different.
Oh my Lord! I looked at these and found myself alternating between gasping and cackling!
Some of these are so awful, I can’t imagine anyone liked tjem even 100 years ago.
Wowza! What a blast from the past for sure. I’m almost 64 and while I don’t recall specific ads, I do recall the mindset. 😳 I would like to repost this to my blog. 🙂
Go for it, Andi.
OMG!
Just shows how views have radically changed after a few decades. It’s not that many years ago that women won the right to vote. I am sure that in fifty years or so people will look back in horror at our society now.
Without a doubt, Geoff.
These ads take “whatever sells” to a whole other level—and I know there are plenty more out there. As someone mentioned, some are quite naive (I thought, “Aww, if only you knew. This is so wrong”—like the baby car lap seat). Some of the risqué ads, like edible underwear, really surprised me too! A lot of them are definitely cringe. As others have mentioned, I couldn’t help but wonder what future generations (or even other cultures) will think of today’s ads. Also, there’s still plenty of cringe content out there, just packaged a bit more subtly.
Sadly true, BK.
Oh, wow, cringe is the definitive word!
I want one of those peacock suits 🦚
It would go with my Van Heusen tie 👔😎
Exactly what I was thinking, David!
Just right for us fashionistas!
;>)
OMGlory–hysterically funny while mentally disturbing!! Thanks for sharing the laughter, and the sadness. 🙂
My pleasure, Katie.