Getting an old magazine or newspaper is a fantastic way to start exploring the past. See how people once used their language, what was included, and excluded. Memorizing events is all fine and dandy, but these don’t actually show how people would approach everyday life. Advertisements are a great way to approach what people liked and wanted.
Through the magic of the internet, we now are able to catalog and share all sorts of ads from the past online. So prepare to look into a different time as you scroll through, be sure to upvote our favorites and comment your thoughts on these truly vintage ads below.
These days, companies can and do actively advertise to children. In the past, it made sense to target adults, as they were the ones with any real purchasing power, but marketers quickly learned that a persistent child could talk parents into quite a lot. Similarly, many young adults were already working, so they could be persuaded to spend some of their hard-earned cash on luxuries and entertainment.
#23 One Oregon Newspaper Clip Reads: “We Appeal To Your Civil Patriotism To Co-Operate With Us In Our Effort To Stamp Out The Spanish Influenza Or “Flu” Plague In Portland By Wearing A Mask.”
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177points
#31 Pizza Hut Oven In Sears Catalog (1977) "Put Up The 'Official' Sign And You're In Business!"
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142points
