Follies of the Mad Men #5

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[NOTE: this is actually two image files, upper and lower, and you need to click on each one for enlargement. From The Saturday Evening Post for October 23, 1965.]

Sorry I didn't get this one up in time for Fourth of July--but then again, WU hadn't debuted then!

In any case, this ad is very confused. It seems to be appealing to the mystical vibe of the ever-iconic American War of Independence, what with the flintlock pistol and all. But then again, Sexy Car-crawling Girl is patently an attempt to attract the Pepsi Generation, those wild 'n' wacky "rebellious" kids, with their surfboards and long hair and love beads.

So who's supposed to want to buy a Polara? Mom and Pop Daughters-of-the-American-Revolution? Or little Janie Peace-Sign?
     Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 22, 2008
     Category: Business | Advertising | Products | Guns | History | Patriotism | 1960s | Cars





Comments
I'd buy a Polara. I'd rather have a Dodge Dart though.
Posted by MadCarlotta on 07/22/08 at 12:30 PM
My brother had a Dart for a while.
Posted by Maegan on 07/22/08 at 01:46 PM
Actually, the ad doesn't seem that confused to me:

sexy woman crawling provocatively on car
sexy woman holding gun (phallic symbol)
sexually coded language (i.e. "Swing with Dodge" "Demand more big")

Seems designed to appeal to male fantasies.
Posted by Alex on 07/22/08 at 02:04 PM
Hay! If it's good enough for Al Bundy it's good enough for America!
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/22/08 at 11:43 PM
Freddie--attracting the pervy Dads is a good strategy too!
Posted by Paul on 07/23/08 at 08:58 AM
MadCarlotta & Maegan--my first car was a Dart! 1972 model.
Posted by Paul on 07/23/08 at 08:59 AM
Alex--you might very well have sussed out a coherent subtext here!
Posted by Paul on 07/23/08 at 08:59 AM
Ramraider--dfid Al Bundy indeed drive a Polara?
Posted by Paul on 07/23/08 at 08:59 AM
Paul, no idea which model Al drove exactly but it was/is a Dodge.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 07/23/08 at 09:13 AM
I knew you were über-cool, Paul! 😊

I had the opportunity to buy one, can't remember the exact year, but it was a mid sixties model.

Navy blue with white seats. For $500. WHY DIDN'T I BUY IT?!?! I know why - I was living in NYC and didn't want to deal with the parking or have to pay for a garage to keep it in, but still. Five hundred dollars. *sniff*
Posted by MadCarlotta on 07/23/08 at 10:05 AM
MadCarlotta--we don't regret what we did in life, but what we didn't do!
Posted by Paul on 07/24/08 at 06:13 PM
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