15 Ads From the Past That Are Unbelievable Now
Here's a collection of vintage advertisements that would never make it past today’s standards.
- Chris Graciano
- 4 min read
Looking back at old ads is like stepping into another world. Companies once promoted products with wild messages that feel absurd today. Here are 15 past ads that are hard to believe were ever printed or aired.
1. Cigarettes Marketed to Doctors
Martin Criminale on Flickr
There was a time when ads proudly featured doctors recommending cigarette brands for “better relaxation.” Companies used white coats and medical jargon to disguise health risks as benefits. The imagery suggested smoking was practically therapeutic.
2. Soda as a Baby Drink
Troy B. Thompson on Flickr
Yes, cola companies once promoted their products as suitable for infants. One campaign even suggested giving babies soda early so they’d “fit in” socially later. The ads featured smiling toddlers sipping sugary drinks from bottles. Today, the idea is not just outdated; it’s downright horrifying.
3. Candy as a Breakfast Food
PickPIk
In an attempt to boost sales, candy companies marketed chocolate bars as the perfect breakfast. Ads showed busy parents handing their kids candy for “morning energy.” The messaging tried to disguise sugar as sustenance. Looking back, it feels more like parody than persuasion.
4. Soap Ads with Offensive Stereotypes
UMD Special Collections and University Archives on Flickr
Many early soap campaigns used racial caricatures to push their products. These ads portrayed harmful stereotypes and reinforced social prejudices. What’s shocking is how accepted they were at the time, printed in major magazines without criticism.
5. Beer Promoted for Pregnant Women
engin akyurt on Unsplash
Astonishingly, some vintage ads told expectant mothers that beer was good for them. Brands suggested it added nutrition and strength for both mom and baby. Slogans like “beer builds better babies” were used without irony. In modern medicine, such advice would be unthinkable and dangerous.
6. Weight Gain Supplements for Women
i yunmai on Unsplash
Before thinness became the beauty standard, ads encouraged women to gain weight. Powdered drinks and pills claimed to make women more “desirable” to men. They played on insecurities just like modern diet ads, but in reverse. It’s a fascinating and troubling glimpse into shifting beauty ideals.
7. Cocaine in Medicine Ads
Wellcome Collection on Wikimedia Commons
In the early 1900s, tonics infused with cocaine were marketed as cure-alls. These products claimed to relieve everything from fatigue to headaches. The ads portrayed cocaine as a wonder ingredient rather than a dangerous drug. Today, such claims would spark outrage and lawsuits, not sales.
8. Car Ads Bragging About Speed
Joe Han on Unsplash
Some auto ads proudly advertised reckless speed as a selling point. Phrases like “faster than ever before” dominated the headlines, with no mention of safety. Drivers were encouraged to chase adrenaline instead of responsibility. It’s a far cry from the crash-test and safety-first marketing we see today.
9. Diet Products Full of Sugar
Daniel Kraus on Unsplash
Ironically, early diet drinks and “slimming aids” were packed with sugar. The ads claimed they’d help customers shed pounds while tasting great. It was a contradiction that fooled many health-conscious consumers at the time. Now, it’s an obvious example of deceptive marketing at its finest.
10. Toothpaste with Radioactive Ingredients
Roman Marchenko on Unsplash
One of the most shocking trends was toothpaste infused with radium for “extra whitening power.” People genuinely believed radiation was a cutting-edge health innovation. The results were anything but bright — exposure led to serious illness. It’s chilling to realize how ignorance once passed for progress.
11. Laxatives Marketed as Daily Health Boosters
bnilsen on Flickr
Some brands encouraged people to take laxatives every day to stay “light and happy.” Ads showed smiling families who supposedly felt healthier from frequent use. The marketing disguised a risky habit as good hygiene. Modern doctors would call that advice reckless, if not outright harmful.
12. Alcohol as a Workday Pick-Me-Up
Taylor Brandon on Unsplash
Incredibly, ads once encouraged workers to drink whiskey on lunch breaks for “energy and focus.” It was pitched as a normal part of daily productivity. The campaigns glamorized drinking at work instead of warning about its risks. Today, that kind of message would trigger HR nightmares and lawsuits.
13. Beauty Creams with Mercury
Sora Shimazaki on Pexels
Many early skincare products proudly advertised mercury as their secret ingredient. The metal was believed to lighten skin and erase blemishes. Instead, it caused poisoning and permanent damage. It’s a haunting reminder of how dangerous unregulated cosmetics once were.
14. Airline Ads Objectifying Women
Abby AR on Unsplash
Some vintage airline ads treated flight attendants as part of the “in-flight entertainment.” Women were shown as decorative perks to attract male passengers. The slogans were sexist, the tone condescending, and the imagery insulting.
15. Soda Sold as a Health Tonic
Alexandra Nosova on Unsplash
Before sugary drinks became symbols of poor health, soda was pitched as medicine. Ads claimed it soothed digestion and boosted vitality after meals. People genuinely believed it was “doctor approved.” Knowing what we know now about sugar’s effects, it’s one of advertising’s most absurd contradictions.