Re: ADS OF THE PAST - DID THEY REALLY SAY THAT?

Advertisements are all around us – it’s on television, it’s in magazines, malls, bus stops – EVERYWHERE. They’re all made for the purpose of promoting products or to support a cause. Though some ads are creative and influential, some are not – in fact, they’re quite ridiculous. For example:

Judging from what this advertisement is promoting, I assume this was created quite a long time ago (maybe somewhere around the 50’s or 60’s) – back when people still thought that staying thin by eating “sanitized tapeworms” didn’t come with any strings attached. To promote tapeworms, the company created an advertisement with a women who is tempted to eat the food below her. But since eating too much can cost you a couple of pounds, the company is suggesting tapeworms, so woman can eat as much as they desire without gaining weight. Without a doubt, the advertisement is obviously sending out a bad message. Tapeworms may seem like an easy way to lose fat, but it’s a health risk. I suppose the government allowed the company to run this advertisement because people were unaware of the health concerns. Canada and many other countries still continue to promote weight lost, but the way people lose weight now, are a lot healthier than they were before.
 

Advertisements that promote smoking are never seen anymore as smoking is not supported these days. Back then, smoking was considered “cool” and many males did it to fit in. In first smoking advertisement, the company is promoting Tipalet by convincing males that smoking is a good way to chase women – all you have to do is “blow it in her face and she’ll follow you anywhere”. In my opinion, I think it’s disrespectful and degrading to women – they’re saying that women are easy to seduce. In the other smoking advertisement, the company is promoting their product by creating an advertisement with a doctor having a cigarette of their brand. I guess it was somewhat an effective advertisement back in the day, considering many people trusted doctors as they are more educated in what’s healthy and what is not. Unfortunately, people in the past weren’t aware of the many health concerns that link to smoking. Today, there are no more advertisements that promote smoking – there’s only anti-smoking ads that lists all the health issues that can result such as lung cancer, etc.

In the final ad, the company is promoting lard by creating an advertisement with a cheerful family of three to assure viewers happiness, if they consume their product. Though lard is basically pig fat, meaning that it can potentially clog your arteries if you eat too much of it, I guess the government allowed the company to run this advertisement because they weren’t aware of the health threats that comes in hand with lard. The advertisement was probably effective to those who were sad/depressed during that time period, even though the concept of ad is too plain and boring. Advertisements we see today are much more interesting, original, and colorful.

Compared to the past, advertisements have definitely changed over the years. For example, Dove have advertisements that spreads positive messages, while advertising their products at the same time – I bet there weren't any ads like that back then. Modern advertisements are now more positive, while advertisements in the past had conveyed negative messages such as slogans that degraded women (the “blow it in her face and she’ll follow you anywhere” ad), etc. By simply analyzing at these advertisements, I assume society at that time was a lot different – having good health wasn’t something they worried about, physical appearances were more important than what was in the inside, and men were “better” than women. For example, people in the past didn’t do enough research to see if the products would link to health threats; women and men relied mostly on products such as tapeworms and cigarettes to attract the other gender (they forgot that the inside is more important than outer looks), and people thought that a puff of smoke could easily attract women. Many advertisements today are more influential and they are made to spread positive messages – it really shows how society has changed over the years.

Picture Credits:

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