Follies of the Mad Men #167

[Click to enlarge. From Esquire for February 1958.]

1) You are using a childrens' picture-book icon to advertise an adult product. Why not employ the Grinch to sell booze?

2) Even if some parent found this ad to be cute when presented with it in some other forum, you are running it in Esquire, a magazine which, prior to the debut of Playboy, was Swinging Bachelor Hangout #1.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Comments

But zee leetle go-el in zee advertiezzzzzmet izz a leetle Frahch go-el!

I remember deals like this as late as the mid 70's.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/23/11 at 10:26 AM

The PEANUTS gang, come to think of it, also sold Fords early on.

See here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBk55rPE01U

Posted by Paul on 11/23/11 at 03:59 PM

You're right, Scout, I did have Madeline in mind. And, no, I only watched/read he-man stuff like Flash Gordon, Red Ryder, and Spiderman.

And, BTW, there's a lizard selling insurance and there used to be a duck.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 11/23/11 at 10:35 PM

Renault engines are junk too. Cartoon advertisements make sense, its one step up from a kid's pedal car.

Posted by Patty in Ohio, USA on 11/24/11 at 04:19 AM

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