60 Vintage Ads That Would Never Fly Today
A collection of vintage advertisements that feel almost unreal now
Advertising has always had one clear goal: to convince people to buy something. That basic purpose hasn’t changed, but the ways brands try to catch our attention definitely have.
Looking back, older ads feel like a window into a very different world, shaped by the values, humor, and assumptions of their time. If you enjoy a dose of nostalgia, vintage advertisements deliver it instantly.
From bold slogans to eyebrow-raising visuals, these campaigns show just how creative - and sometimes questionable - marketing used to be. Many of them are unintentionally funny today, not because they failed, but because culture has moved on. What once felt clever or perfectly acceptable might now feel awkward, outdated, or even shocking.
We explored a collection of classic ads shared by fans of old-school marketing on the Vintage Advertisements subreddit. The posts range from genuinely smart ideas that still hold up to ads that would never make it past a modern approval process.
Together, they tell a story about how much society, humor, and advertising standards have shifted over the decades. Scrolling through these throwback campaigns is both entertaining and eye-opening. Advertising doesn’t just sell products - it also reflects the time it comes from.
Some of these ads deserve applause for their creativity, while others leave you wondering how they were ever published. Either way, they’re hard to look away from.
"Between You, Your Husband And Your Senator, Planned Parenthood, 1982"
Slow-moving-sloth"We All Got Vaccines, Except Dad"
Ebonystealth"McDonald's Advertisement From 1997"
joe3000s
"Dad, You've Got To Help Me! Responsible Drinking Message From Seagram Company Ltd, 1987"
Slow-moving-sloth
"David Bowie For America's Libraries. Ad Campaign From 1987"
joe3000s
"In 1962, Bette Davis Published This Advertisement In Variety."
femboy66pu
"My First Day With Stayfree. 1970s"
muskyraconteur
"I've Robbed The Rainbow To Make You Gay. Jester Wools"
Ebonystealth
"Homosexuals Are Different, Mattachine Society Of New York, 1960"
CryptographerKey2847
"1939 Children’s Laxative Ad."
CryptographerKey2847
"1972. Groovy Toilet Seats From Sears."
CryptographerKey2847
"Got Milk Ads From 1999"
Djf47021
"What I Like & Don’t Like In A Woman - Bill Blass Perfume Ad 1983"
CryptographerKey2847
"Grace Jones Honda Scooter Advert From 1984"
HelloSlowly
"1950s Ad For New Home"
JayA_Tee
"Don't Let That Cold Stop You. Use Minipoo. Late 50s Early 60s"
Ebonystealth
"United Airlines - 1976"
RetroMan70s
"I Suffered From Menstrual Cramps." - 1968 Femicin Ad"
Ebonystealth
"Now She Can Cope... medical Journal Ad, 1965."
Ebonystealth
"1987 McDonald’s Ad."
ComplexWrangler1346
"Wake Up Gay In The Morning!!!!!"
ThePurpleUFO
"1967 - Rice Council Of America Trying To Win The Hearts Of The “Meat And Potatoes” Crowd"
mistermajik2000
"Oprah Winfrey, Unforgettable Woman, Revlon, 1989"
Slow-moving-sloth
“He's A Tough And Rugged Little Guy With A Look You Have To Love." My Buddy From Hasbro, 1985"
muskyraconteur
"Only Fans 1957"
adamlm
"Bradley Group Showers (1965)"
Unusual_Memory3133
"Budweiser 1950s"
nina_ballerina
"Battleship (1967)"
NYY15TM
"Tupac And Jada Pinkett Smith In An Ad For Mondawmin Mall In 1987"
Djf47021
"LEGO Ad (1980)"
Internal-Horror896
"1968 Hangman Bicycle Sissy Bar"
Ebonystealth
"Bike Pipe 1980"
effron_vintage
"1949 Formica"
Ebonystealth
"Sears Men's Fashion 1960's"
dogbytes
"Print Ad For The Dynamite Underwear Line By Munsingwear From 1973"
CryptographerKey2847
"Maybelline’s Kissing Potion (1981)"
reddit.com
"1944 Life Savers Hard Candy Advertising"
CryptographerKey2847
"Meet Fred Flintstone And Barney Rubble At The Catonville Supermart (1969)"
Ebonystealth
"Only Bugles Remain"
Adventure_tom
"Ad For Mcdonald’s Breakfast From 1977"
Hooverpaul
"Care To Take A Chance?"
Character-Witness-27
"Introducing Twiggy Lashes By Yardley (1967)"
Adventure_tom
"A 1920s Peerless Ice Cream Advert"
blancolobosBRC
"Vote For The New M&M's Color, 1995"
painterlyway
"Peter Pain Was Ben-Gay's Villainous Mascot From 1942 to 1965. This Ad On A 93-Year-Old NYC Subway Train Elicited A Lot Of Snickers From Today's Passengers."
AmandaMarsh
"Exclusive Prelubricated Tip Makes Insertion Easy And Medically Correct [1950s]."
ThePurpleUFO
"Shirley Simkins And Sally Hayes, Laversavers, 1957."
Ebonystealth
"Lightboy For Use With Nintendo Game Boy (1990)"
reddit.com
"1985 Efficol Cough Whip."
Sincerely_JaneDoe
"1950s Cardboard Grocery Store Standee For Donald Duck Orange Juice!"
AxlCobainVedder
"Hydrox Throwing Shade At Oreos (1954)"
Ebonystealth
"Wendy’s Pick-Up Cup, 1985"
Key-Cycle7978
"I Found A Teenager’s Jewelry Box Decoupaged With Ads (1970)"
Frankie2059
"Ad From An Issue Of Popular Science Magazine Telling People To Burn Their Old Batteries Because The Burning Zinc May Help Clean Your Chimney. Also, Colorful Flames. 1951"
Lepke2011
"Virginia Slims Promotional Sewing Needles I Found In My Mom’s Sewing Supplies"
PersephoneInSpace
"Jnco Jeans, 1998"
StephenMcGannon
"Mebaral, 1959"
CelebManips
"1920s Orange Crush Advertisement"
NoDoctor4460
"Burger King, 2002"
algebramclain
"KitchenAid [1954]"
GumbyWeinstein
Old advertisements feel like time capsules, capturing everyday attitudes that once seemed normal. They can make us laugh, cringe, or shake our heads, but they also help explain how ideas and trends evolve.
Revisiting them isn’t just entertaining - it highlights how quickly social norms change and how advertising adapts to reflect each new generation.
