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.
nibiyabi
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.
Jill Harness
I actually agree with you. I just used the title on the article I was linking to.
Kalel
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.
Ryan C
@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
mother hubcap
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.
fun games for kids
@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.
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