“Wait… That’s not what we meant…”
What’s the first thing I thought of when I saw this ad?
“Hey, smoke up, Johnny!”
He sees you when you’re smoking…
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Tag Archives: vintage ads
The Imperial March starts playing…
Hiram Walker, “benevolent despot“, was into millin’ and distillin’.
What’s the difference between whiskey and whisky? Besides the “e”, that is.
Continue readingLet’s get Necco with Santa!
Necco Wafers refuse to die.
“Everyone’s least favorite Halloween candy has been making us miserable since 1847.”
Continue readingInsist on the hole.
1919 Life Savers magazine ad found as the inside front cover of a Life magazine.
Did you know Wint-O-Green Life Savers spark in the dark? Here’s why.
You never know when you’ll suddenly have to know a lot more about Life Savers. Mental Floss has you covered.
Continue readingInsidious Diseases and Hidden Decay
Would you trust your tree with this man?
Bone shards:
I didn’t realize that tree surgeons were a thing until I read a bit about the profession in a Straight Dope column about Groucho Marx by Cecil Adams. Yes, you should read the entire column.
Way back in the day, Groucho Marx hosted a radio/TV quiz show called “You Bet Your Life. During one show when he was interviewing a tree surgeon, he asked, “Have you ever fallen out of any of your patients?”
Read one heck of an obituary for Groucho here.
And now you know about tree surgeons too.
Continue readingSealed with a kiss and probably a paper cut.
When was the last time you write a real letter, you cold and heartless monster?
Bone shards:
This company was founded in 1893 to manufacture social stationery. Social stationery. The first social media?
Feel like writing somebody a real letter? Etsy and eBay have some sellers with vintage Eaton stationery.
I know you can’t wait to read about the history of paper.
You wanna go old-old school? I got ya — the history of papyrus.
Remember Cursive?
Continue readingThe disturbing joy of a new romance.
I’m mostly sharing this ad just for that one line of copy. It’s a beaut.
Bone shards:
Laughter was Germaine Monteil’s first perfume. It was later rebranded as Rigolade, which is French for “joke”.
Laughter took eight years to develop. “It smells good too.” — Esquire, 1951
“Beauty is not a gift, rather the combination of natural charisms, personal style and expert care.” — Germaine Monteil
Is laughter the best medicine?
Continue readingPlaya please.
Bone shards:
Player’s Navy Cut was discontinued in 2016. Not a bad run.
One of its slogans in the 1920s was “Player’s Please”. It’s a long shot, but I think it’s possible this was an early version of the more recent “Playa please.”
And yes, “Me likee” is a racist stereotype. Don’t do that.
Detail: Notice the “Hero” on the sailor’s hat.
And just because, here’s a possible origin for “Put that in your pipe and smoke it.”
Continue readingThis took a long time to reach me, but it was worth the wait.
Oh, like a wizard bear never grabbed your ass while you were playing video games in the shopping mall arcade.
Bone shards:
Bentley Bear makes an appearance in Wreck-It Ralph!
Crystal Castles was a trackball game. And now I’m having Marble Madness flashbacks.
Crystal Castles is now a Canadian band.
Continue reading