Top 10 Ironic Ads From History

Posted by Jill Harness in Advertising, Funny on July 2, 2009 at 11:46 am


Consumerist has a great list article with 10 ads you’d never see today. In it, you’ll learn how the World Trade Centers could have been saved by asbestos, why you should wrap your children in cellophane and why doctors love Camel cigarettes. Hilarity ensues.

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8 comments to "Top 10 Ironic Ads From History"

  1. nibiyabi
    July 2nd, 2009 at 12:20 pm

    I cringed when I saw the word "ironic" knowing there was about a 95% chance it was a mislabel -- I was right. This is not irony; these are advertisements advertising things before we knew they were dangerous.

  2. Jill Harness
    July 2nd, 2009 at 1:26 pm

    I actually agree with you. I just used the title on the article I was linking to.

  3. Kalel
    July 2nd, 2009 at 1:27 pm

    These ads ARE in direct opposition to the truth of the situations they present, whether at the time or later.

    So, if they are not ironic, then what are they?

    PS -- The babies in plastic make me cringe.

  4. Ryan C
    July 2nd, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    @nibiyabi 'these are advertisements advertising things before "we" knew they were dangerous.'

    Somebody knew these products were dangerous, whether or not that someone could profit from it was the bigger question at the time.

    Another great example is tetra-ethyl lead gas additive. http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=932

  5. mother hubcap
    July 2nd, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    My family owned 2 pintos. Great cars. Ran well, had lasting power.
    The hair on the back of my burnt-out head has finally grown in from that rear-end accident oh, back in '72.

  6. Petite Poi
    July 2nd, 2009 at 2:29 pm

    They do make something to sedate children. It's called Ritalin.

  7. fun games for kids
    July 2nd, 2009 at 9:28 pm

    @Ryan C
    I agree with you. Actually it just seems to show that these marketers and producers were more upfront about their dubious products, masking them as good when they were actually dangerous, than they are now. Now they conceal the fact that they are dangerous and just sell them - think China's tainted milk incident.

  8. ted
    July 3rd, 2009 at 7:53 pm

    I think they knew you shouldn't wrap your baby in plastic.


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