Advertising
The Ideal Gift
Modern readers inevitably sense a note of sarcasm in the woman's words, which I'm sure wasn't the intent of the ad men who created this.But I've gotta confess that I once gave my wife a set of canning equipment for her birthday. In my own defense, it was top of her wish list.
Posted By: Alex - Wed May 06, 2015 -
Comments (7)
Category: Advertising
Follies of the Madmen #247
Original ad here.
An elegant motto for a useless product.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Apr 28, 2015 -
Comments (8)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Food, 1950s
A-Bomb Detergent
Wash that radiation away!
Source: Life - Nov 20, 1950
Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 25, 2015 -
Comments (6)
Category: Advertising, 1950s, Weapons
The gun safe enough to use as a toy
There seem to be layers of meaning in this ad. On one level, it's just a girl playing with her toys (and her gun). On another level, the doll clearly seems posed in a way to represent a dead person, shot perhaps by the girl who's looking down at the gun in her hand with regret. What's the message here?
Incidentally, wikipedia tells us that Iver Johnson revolvers were used in the assassinations of William McKinley and Robert Kennedy (and the attempted assassination of FDR).
Source: The Canadian Magazine - April 1904
Posted By: Alex - Tue Apr 21, 2015 -
Comments (5)
Category: Guns, Toys, Advertising, 1900s
Gaytime Raspberry Roughs
Alas, in this less-innocent year of 2015, anyone soliciting a "gaytime raspberry rough" and expecting an ice cream treat is likely to get something different than they anticipated.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 17, 2015 -
Comments (8)
Category: Business, Advertising, Food, Public Indecency, 1960s, Double Entendres and Nudge-Nudge, Wink-Wink
Follies of the Madmen #246
From Playboy for June 1973.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Apr 13, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Business, Advertising, Products, Stereotypes and Cliches, 1970s, Women, Cars
The Popular Pickle
There is so much to love about this video, from the whimsical music which makes it seem as if the cucumbers are just going on holiday, instead of being wrenched from their happy fields and families, then sliced and seasoned for consumption by monstrous hairless apes, to the very phrase "pickle packer." The one omission, understandable in light of 1950s' reticence, is no mention of the cucumber as sex toy.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 10, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Regionalism, Advertising, Industry, Factories and Manufacturing, Farming, Vegetables, Pickles, 1950s
Follies of the Madmen #245
What was the miracle of "V-line Breez?" Your powerful imagination convincing you that you looked different!
From Esquire for July 1949.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Mar 23, 2015 -
Comments (2)
Category: Body, Business, Advertising, Products, Fashion, 1940s
Follies of the Madmen #244
"Oral bad breath" as opposed to what other orifice?
Posted By: Paul - Wed Mar 18, 2015 -
Comments (8)
Category: Business, Advertising, Products, Hygiene, 1960s
Cameras In Rentals Hertz Business
Hertz has installed cameras that are able to view the interior of the vehicle in a portion of its fleet and many customers are upset. The company claims the cameras have never been used but they put out a commercial showing how handy the device could be in case of an accident. A representative for the company claims that was a 'mock up'. A mock up? In advertising, really? That kind of behavior; advertising a feature that is not available OR stating the cameras had never been used when they had been, because only one of those statements can be true, makes one wonder if camera use would be disclosed in the future. The book 1984 wasn't even close, there won't be just one big brother watching.
Posted By: Alex - Mon Mar 16, 2015 -
Comments (9)
Category: Business, Advertising, Video, Can’t Possibly Be True, More Things To Worry About, Cars
| Who We Are |
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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 thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |