Tag Archives: advertisement

Sing us a song, you’re the honky tonk harpsichord man.

1974 magazine ad for Cordovox Electronic Pianos

1974 magazine ad for Cordovox Electronic Pianos

“Suspiciously similar to the Selmer-Armon in having sliders for the 3 equally dismal sounds.”

Continue reading

(BONK) I coulda had a V-8!

1960 magazine ad for V-8 Cocktail Vegetable Juices

1960 magazine ad for V-8 Cocktail Vegetable Juices

The eight vegetables in V-8 are beets, celery, carrots, lettuce, parsley, watercress, spinach and tomato. And yes, I know tomatoes are botanically fruit.

Here. Have a history timeline of V-8!

Continue reading

Take off, eh!

Magazine ad for Pratt & Whitney found in the December 1937 issue of Aero Digest

Magazine ad for Pratt & Whitney found in the December 1937 issue of Aero Digest.

Pratt & Whitney, the early years.

Da plane! Da plane!
Da Lockheed Super Electra 14H2

A bit about Trans-Canada Airlines, a subsidiary of the Canadian National Railway Company.

Continue reading

“It’s just the flu.”

1905 ad for Horsford's Acid Phosphate
1905 ad for Horsford’s Acid Phosphate

Let’s go back to calling influenza “the grippe”.

Did you know acid phosphate was one of the original ingredients in Coca-Cola and essential at soda fountains?

Continue reading

Nice cans.

A magazine ad for… cans… from 1985 — Canned Food Information Council

A magazine ad for… cans… from 1985 — Canned Food Information Council

Somebody in the 1980s really wanted to put a sexy robot in an ad.

Why the Can Opener Wasn’t Invented Until Almost 50 Years After the Can

Continue reading

Alas, I was born too late.

1967 magazine ad for General Mills Bugles, Daisy•s and Whistles... and Canada Dry Ginger Ale sorta.
1967 magazine ad for General Mills Bugles, Daisy•s and Whistles… and Canada Dry Ginger Ale sorta.

Bugles are still around, but I totally missed out their snack siblings — “Whistles – a cheddar-flavored corn product in the shape of a whistle and taste like grilled cheese on toast, only crunchy; and Daisy*s – a flower-shaped snack that had the flavor of puffed popovers.”

Dang it

Continue reading

Death of a traveling salesman

Magazine ad for Hertz found in the October 9, 1967, issue of Newsweek
Magazine ad for Hertz found in the October 9, 1967, issue of Newsweek

Avis might’ve reached advertising legend status with its “When you’re only No.2, you try harder. Or else.” ad and eventual “We try harder.” tagline, but I gotta tell ya, this 1967 Hertz ad is its own kind of awesome. I never knew it existed before picking up a short stack of old Newsweek magazines at a local flea market this weekend. And the word count in this single print ad? 385.

Avis v. Hertz – a history. 

Continue reading

No other car in the world will satisfy you.

Magazine ad for the 1950 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limousine found on the back cover of an issue of Flair magazine, if I’m remembering correctly.
Magazine ad for the 1950 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limousine found on the back cover of an issue of Flair magazine, if I’m remembering correctly.

What did the 1950 Chrysler Crown Imperial Limousine look like for real? Check out General Douglas MacArthur’s, one of 209 built that year.

Continue reading

“I’d punch the copywriter, but…” [shrugs]

If Venus Had Arms — 1911 magazine ad for Kellogg's Toasted Corn Flakes
If Venus Had Arms — 1911 magazine ad for Kellogg’s Toasted Corn Flakes

15 Things You Should Know About ‘Venus de Milo

Were Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Created as an ‘Anti-Masturbatory Morning Meal’?

Continue reading

Come for the gimcracks. Stay for the SPUG.

Colgate ad found on the back cover of the January 1915 issue of The Designer magazine
Colgate ad found on the back cover of the January 1915 issue of The Designer magazine

What’s a gimcrack? Pretty much the same thing as a gewgaw, d-uh.

Mr. Smith must’ve been a real tightwad over clothing, as both he and Mrs. Smith wear the same outfits for several days. Hopefully, Colgate made a deodorant back then. (Nowadays, they do make Speed Stick.)

What’s the deal with fainting couches? In related news, a chaise longue is usually screwed up by Americans as a “chaise lounge”.

It looks like SPUG was made up for this ad, but there are other SPUGS that exist today.

Continue reading