A Scroll Through America’s Advertising History

Old commercials and print ads show how culture, priorities, and expectations evolved

Damjan

Published in Funny
17 Feb 2026

A Scroll Through America’s Advertising History

American society has always expressed itself through creative work, food, technology, and business. These areas show how people live, what they value, and what they aspire to.

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At the same time, culture in the United States is not fixed. Each new generation reshapes habits, tastes, and expectations. Because change happens gradually, it’s easy to lose sight of how different everyday life used to be.

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Modern trends often dominate our attention. New products, new messages, and new standards appear so quickly that older ones fade from memory.

That doesn’t mean earlier decades were better, but they can be surprisingly interesting to revisit. Looking back offers context and shows how priorities and social norms have shifted over time.

One of the clearest windows into the past comes from vintage advertising. Old ads don’t just promote products - they show attitudes about family, success, gender roles, health, and technology.

The language, visuals, and promises they use reveal what companies believed would persuade buyers in that era. There is a popular X account that regularly posts historical American advertisements.

Its feed works like a small archive of commercial history, letting viewers scroll through different decades and compare messaging styles. Browsing these ads can be both entertaining and informative, giving a clearer sense of how public expectations and marketing strategies have changed across generations.

Advertisement For "Alien Resurrection The Game" (1998)

1966, Lady Hathaway Ornamental Sportswear

1966, Oldsmobile Starfire

Murad - The Turkish Cigarette (1919)

1985, Dunkin' Donuts

1965, The Beatles Deluxe Ice Cream Bars Promotional

1963, Hanes Seamless Stockings

1967, Acme Boot Co

1963, Coca-Cola

1952, Duz Laundry Detergent

1971, Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc

1968, Sunshine Bakers Cookies

Poster Advertising Royal Enfield Bicycles (C. 1930). Artwork By Douglas Maxfield

1949, Coca-Cola Co

1968, Brach's Easter Candy

1963, Baker's Germans Sweet Chocolate

1968, Sears Adventuress Set

1977,downy Fabric Softener

1975, Jesus Jeans

1987, Commodore 64

1953, American Airlines Travel Advertisement For Acapulco

"The Day Time Ended" (1979) A Low-Budget Sci-Fi Cult Film Featuring Time Rifts, Aliens, And Stop-Motion Creatures

1963, Tender Leaf Tea

1983, Datsun 280-Zx, Nissan Motor Corp

1950, Soft-Weve Toilet Tissue

1952,accent Flavor Enhancer

1979, Mego Action Figures

1964, '65 Pontiac

Auto Union - Audi 920 (1938)

1966, Dupont Dacron Slacks

1966, Tiffany & Co Easter Eggs

1950, Lux Flakes Nylons Ft. Betty Grable

1963,maidenform Sportmaker Stretch Pants

1955, Jello Puddings

1928, Black And White Cleansing Cream

1964, Falstaff Beer

1992, Sega Superstar, "Make Dad A Software Etc."

1966, Coca Cola Soft Drinks

Dinner Suit By Kuppenheimer In The Saturday Evening Post, January 24, 1925. Art By J. C. Leyendecker

1976, Jim Beam

1966, Batman TV Sweepstakes & Gleem Toothpaste

1997, Rugrats Lunchables

1963, Chevy II With Power Steering

1963,lux Liquid Detergent

1962, Bakers Angel Flake Coconut, Ft. Easter Bunny Cake

1968, West Bend Country Inn Cookware

1940, Jantzen Knitting Mills

1979, Ameritone Color Key Paint

1979, Mcdonald’s Corp

1950, Camay Bath Size Soap

1978, Star Wars Sneakers By Clarks

1963, Lady Esquire Instant Shoe Coloring Lady Esquire’s Instant Shoe Coloring Offered Women In The 1960s A Quick Way To Refresh Or Customize Their Footwear

1961,ken-L-Ration Dog Food

1954,ansco Anscoflex Camera

1952, Swans Down Cake Mix Kissin' Cakes

1972, Buick Riviera

"Goliath And The Dragon" (1960) - Directed By Vittorio Cottafavi

1950, Swans Down Cake Mix, Instant And Devils Food Mixes

1992, Teen Spirit Deodorant

1952, General Electric Refrigerator

1954, Schlitz Beer

1954, Chrysler Red Sedan

Retro Game "Spotlight 067 Centipede" (1981) Atari’s Second Bestselling Coin-Op Game, Centipede Was The First Arcade Game To Be Designed By A Woman

1952, Gibson Electric Range Diamond Jubilee

The Night Walker (1964) From Horror Master William Castle And Psycho Writer Robert Bloch, This Dream-Fueled Thriller Stars Barbara Stanwyck In Her Final Film Role

1950, Coca-Cola Soda Drink

1968, L'Oreal Hair Color

1950, Lux Flakes Ft. Barbara Stanwyck

1985, Joy Lemon Dishwashing Liquid Soap

1950, Jell-O Red Letter Desserts

1950, Lucky Strike Cigarettes

"The Bonnie Parker Story" (1958) - Directed By William Witney

1950, Avon Cosmetics Lipstick Ft. Loretta Young's Art Portrait

1950, Kotex Sanitary Napkins

"Return Of The Jedi Death Star Battle" Video Game On The Atari 2600 (1983)

1985, Fig Newtons And Apple Newtons

1963, Breck Shampoo

1950, Palmolive Soap

1946,mennen Skin Bracer

1952, Stokely's Finest Tomato Products & Van Camps Pork And Beans