Who can’t resist all the possibilities that the outer space bears? Scientists and experts have worked their way to uncover the mysteries of space. There had been explorations to the moon and studies of exoplanets. It has always been a way of getting out of Earth and see what lies outside.
Lo and behold this Lestoil Cleaner ad saying women can join the line of men as astronauts and rocket scientists. Look closer and see what’s so wrong about it. They want to hire women to “make the Moon a cleaner place to live.” Then again, the sexist mentality surfaces! We’re by far living the 21st century with less of this. Enough of it already.
So Fresh, So Kool
This penguin spraying mouthwash straight into his open beak looks absolutely insane. This ad for Kool cigarettes from the 1930s is arguing that smoking a cigarette is good for you if you feel under the weather. Why? Because their cigarettes have fresh, clean menthol in them! Forget Vicks VapoRub. It’s all about inhaling some toxic tobacco smoke into your lungs to achieve that sparkling menthol feel.
Although some people still smoke, we’re all more aware of the negative health effects that smoking can have on the body. Back then, cigarettes were presented as a health benefit. Perhaps the most insane thing about this ad is that Kool cigarettes are still marketed as a “true menthol experience” today. They leaned into the one good thing about smoking and ran with it, health concerns be darned!
Lysol: The Perfect Summer Accessory
When we consider the last three or so years, this old ad for Lysol spray may not seem that farfetched. Weren’t many of us carrying around our own personal hand sanitizers and Lysol wipes just a few years ago? What goes around comes around because Lysol advertised its disinfectant spray as the hot new accessory for the summer back in 1972.
There are a few key differences between what we see in Lysol ads today and what was considered “normal” back then. This ad is obviously targeted directly at women, stay-at-home moms, to be specific. Even in the 70s, it was still assumed that women were the ones doing all the kin-keeping and housekeeping. The gender norms are strong in this ad
Cigarette Ads Had Bad Taste
It seems that the 60s were the heyday for sexist advertising that depicted women as either mindless housewives or sex objects. The trend continued well into the 70s, as we can see from this Tipalet cigar ad. This cigarette ad employs a double entendre that we would never see in mainstream advertising today. It’s so visually and verbally degrading that many younger generations find it mind-boggling.
We don’t mean to yuck somebody’s yum, but we highly doubt very many people love cigarette smoke getting blown in their faces. What was viewed as humorous and suggestive back then is now considered extremely rude and offensive. Thankfully, there would be a huge uproar if an ad like this came out today.
Singer: The Independence Machine
Sewing machines have always been targeted toward women because of deeply ingrained gender norms and stereotypes. This 1970s Singer ad is strange because it uses gender norms in a way that makes buying a sewing machine sound liberating and patriotic. The mental gymnastics for this ad are wild.
So, if women buy a Singer sewing machine, they can achieve true freedom by staying home and making their own clothes. Make it make sense. Sure, having the skills to make your own clothes is a huge accomplishment, but it’s only freedom if someone chooses to do so. Also, can we just take a minute to appreciate this wildly patriotic outfit? It sure does scream “independence.”