When I was in college, I took an archeology class. Archeology is the study of human beings through the artifacts they leave behind, so when I was assigned a paper on the topic of my choosing, I decided that the “artifacts” I wanted to examine were full-page ads in Life magazine. I’d analyze them to see what they told me about the society that shaped them (or vice versa). I can’t remember the exact date range I focused on, but it was wide enough and far back enough that I got to delve into all sorts of wonderful old ads in the college library, all in the name of archeology. Those were good times.
I still love looking at old ads. They’re such fascinating time capsules. I enjoy seeing bygone products and strange social conventions; plus, I’m captivated by the ads’ art direction, imagery, typography, and copywriting.
Today, we have the beautiful convenience of the Internet Archive. So let’s look at some of its treasure, shall we?
I still love looking at old ads. They’re such fascinating time capsules. I enjoy seeing bygone products and strange social conventions; plus, I’m captivated by the ads’ art direction, imagery, typography, and copywriting.
Today, we have the beautiful convenience of the Internet Archive. So let’s look at some of its treasure, shall we?
Now, using Santa and Christmas to hawk cigarettes is nothing new—advertisers did it for many decades. But this particular ad makes me wonder. Why did they go for such a fiendish-looking Santa? He looks ... depraved. Drunk. Sinister. No child of mine would be allowed to sit on this creep’s lap.
I’m intrigued by Murad’s mysterious tagline, which delivers its social-proof allure in just two words: Everywhere—Why? I believe it’s shorthand for, “These Turkish cigarettes are smoked around the globe. Why do you suppose so?” Answering the “Why?” is really beside the point—Murad’s alleged popularity was the enticement.
As for the quotation marks around the word GREETINGS: Do they mean that Santa is muttering that word through his smirking lips clamped around his Murad? Or are those scare quotes?
Finally, notice that 15¢ price. You won’t be surprised to learn that this ad ran more than a century ago, in 1915.
I’m intrigued by Murad’s mysterious tagline, which delivers its social-proof allure in just two words: Everywhere—Why? I believe it’s shorthand for, “These Turkish cigarettes are smoked around the globe. Why do you suppose so?” Answering the “Why?” is really beside the point—Murad’s alleged popularity was the enticement.
As for the quotation marks around the word GREETINGS: Do they mean that Santa is muttering that word through his smirking lips clamped around his Murad? Or are those scare quotes?
Finally, notice that 15¢ price. You won’t be surprised to learn that this ad ran more than a century ago, in 1915.
Exhibit B, a 1916 ad for a product that clearly should have been named Goodness Nose:
Oof. Where to begin? The ludicrous mechanism and straps? The preposterous before-and-after fakery? The aggressive stoking of insecurity? Or the way this huckster shamelessly dubbed himself a “face specialist”?
Exhibit C—calling it what it is and sending it to you for FREE:
This 1915 ad features an electric product it calls “Nature’s own remedy for muscle-fatigue and wornout nerves.” I didn’t think that Nature used a plug or batteries, but what do I know?
Nowhere is the price of this product mentioned. We only know that it “[c]osts little and quickly pays for itself in INCREASED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL POWER.” The Monarch Vibrator Company would mail you their product for nothing. Presumably, once you knew the benefits, once you’d learned “the real joy of living,” you wouldn’t be willing to part with it.
Nowhere is the price of this product mentioned. We only know that it “[c]osts little and quickly pays for itself in INCREASED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL POWER.” The Monarch Vibrator Company would mail you their product for nothing. Presumably, once you knew the benefits, once you’d learned “the real joy of living,” you wouldn’t be willing to part with it.
Exhibit D—beer for the whole family:
You know what you don’t see anymore (at least in the US)? Small children in beer ads. You don’t see beer described as “honest” or “wholesome” or “for the whole family,” as in this 1911 ad from Blatz Brewing Company.
You also don’t see hand-lettering like that anymore. Just look at those B’s!
You also don’t see hand-lettering like that anymore. Just look at those B’s!
Finally, we have Exhibit E, which demonstrates that some things never change:
In 1903, to send off for this “absolutely harmless” soap that “never fails to reduce flesh,” you didn’t need a street address. You just mailed your $2.00 to “Norwood Chemical Co., St. James Bldg., N.Y.,” and you’d receive your two cakes (not bars, but cakes!) of La Parle Obesity Soap. If we’re to believe the internet, that price tag would be more than $70.00 in 2024.
Seems preposterous, right? Who would ever fall for such a thing, right? Until you discover that people are still making the same nonsensical claims even as I type this. 👇 🙄
Seems preposterous, right? Who would ever fall for such a thing, right? Until you discover that people are still making the same nonsensical claims even as I type this. 👇 🙄
This is only a small sampling of the advertising delicacies available on the Internet Archive. I suspect I’ll be back with more soon. Stay tuned!
RSS Feed