Advertising has always had a talent for making everyday life look a little stranger than it really is. In the 1950s, that talent was on full display. Companies made some pretty bold assumptions about what families wanted, how people should behave, and which new products were supposedly about to change everything.
Looking back at the ads now, some are charming, some are unintentionally hilarious, and a few are downright bizarre. The people who created them were simply trying to sell products in a changing America, but their ideas about modern living did not always age particularly well. That’s what makes old advertising so entertaining to revisit.
1. 7UP (1950s)
2. Green Giant Corn Niblets (1950s)
3. Wilson & Co. Mor (1950)
4. Sealtest Ice Cream (1950/1951)
5. Zenith TV (1951)
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6. American Kitchens (1951)
7. Howard Johnson’s (1951)
8. Hot Dawg Relish (1952)
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9. Cellophane (1953)
10. Ethyl Gasoline (1954)
11. Spry Ground Beef (1954)
12. Texaco Sky Chief Gasoline (1955)
13. Lockheed Super Constellation (1956)
14. Franco-American Macaroni (1956)
15. Kraft Swiss Cheese (1956)
16. Cheerios (1956)
17. Ford Galaxie (1959)
Want more nostalgic 1950s content?
Take a trip down memory lane with 12 Nostalgic Photos of 1950s Tupperware Parties. Plus, don’t miss 16 Gorgeous Photos That Showcase the Glamour of 1950s Jewelry and 14 Things From the 1950s That Could Be Worth a Ton Today.
