15 Classic Ads That Would Spark Outrage If Aired Today
Here's a shocking look back at 15 real vintage ads that reveal just how far society has come — and how outrageously offensive marketing once was.
- Alyana Aguja
- 5 min read
This article dives into 15 real vintage ads that would cause uproar if aired today, exposing the blatant sexism, racism, and cultural insensitivity once considered normal in advertising. From cigarette endorsements by doctors to housewife-shaming holiday gifts, these relics reveal a jarring portrait of past social norms.
1. Tipalet Cigarettes – “Blow in her face and she’ll follow you anywhere” (1970s)
Image from Reddit
This infamous cigarette ad suggests that women are easily seduced by a puff of smoke, literally blown into their faces. It’s a perfect storm of sexism and manipulation, wrapped in secondhand smoke. Today, this would be slammed not just for misogyny, but for promoting smoking as sexy or socially acceptable.
2. Van Heusen – “Show her it’s a man’s world” (1950s)
Image from Wikipedia
In this print ad, a woman kneels, serving breakfast in bed to her suited husband under the bold declaration that it’s a “man’s world.” The message is clear: domestic servitude is where a woman belongs. Modern audiences would torch this for glorifying gender inequality and archaic gender roles.
3. Lysol – “Feminine hygiene” douching ad (1930s-1950s)
Image from Wikipedia
Lysol once marketed itself as a feminine hygiene product, claiming it kept wives “fresh” and appealing — and thus, kept their marriages intact. It shamed women into believing cleanliness (with a disinfectant!) determined their worth. Not only was it misogynistic, but also dangerous.
4. Camel Cigarettes – “More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette!” (1946)
Image from Wikipedia
This ad used fake scientific authority to sell cigarettes, with physicians casually lighting up in hospitals. It’s absurd now, but back then, it gave smokers the perfect excuse. The idea of medical professionals endorsing smoking today is laughably irresponsible and deadly.
5. Pepsi – “Come alive! You’re in the Pepsi Generation” (1960s – Asian market version)
Image from Wikipedia
In its rollout across Asia, Pepsi’s slogan was awkwardly translated in Mandarin to mean: “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.” While it might seem comical, it showed a blatant disregard for cultural sensitivity and the sacredness of ancestral traditions. A global blunder like this now would trigger swift social media backlash.
6. Hoover – “Christmas morning she’ll be happier with a Hoover” (1950s)
Image from Wikipedia
This ad depicts a woman beaming as she receives a vacuum cleaner for Christmas — the ultimate gift for a happy homemaker, apparently. It’s domesticity dressed up as a dream come true. Today’s audiences would likely view this as patronizing and emblematic of a time when a woman’s value was tied to her domestic responsibilities.
7. Budweiser – “Give her something she’ll really love” (1980s)
Image from Wikipedia
In this ad, a man is seen offering a six-pack of Bud to a bikini-clad woman. The implication: beer is equal to sex. It’s a dated, objectifying message that treats women as accessories in beer-fueled fantasies.
8. Calgon – “Ancient Chinese Secret” (1970s)
Image from Wikipedia
A white woman asks an Asian American laundromat owner how he gets his shirts so clean. His coy answer? “Ancient Chinese secret!” Cue the punchline revealing it’s just Calgon detergent. It trivialized Chinese culture, reduced Asian identity to a stereotype, and reinforced the “forever foreigner” trope.
9. Protein Candy – “Because you can’t afford to be fat!” (1960s)
Image from Wikipedia
Targeted at women, this ad aggressively promotes candy as a diet aid, warning them that gaining weight is essentially social suicide. It capitalized on body shaming to sell sweets. In the era of body positivity, this would be torn apart for promoting toxic beauty standards.
10. Volkswagen – “Women are lousy drivers” (1964)
Image from Wikipedia
One VW ad jokingly advised husbands to buy their wives a Beetle because it’s cheap to repair — implying women inevitably crash cars. It’s textbook casual sexism. No brand could get away with mocking women’s intelligence and competence so blatantly today.
11. Goodyear – “If your husband ever finds out…” (1960s)
Image from Wikipedia
This ad shows a frightened woman with the caption: “If your husband ever finds out you’re not using the lifesaver [tire]…” The joke leans heavily into domestic fear and subtle threats. Today, the undertone of male dominance and emotional abuse would not fly.
12. Drummond Sweaters – “Men are better than women!” (1940s)
Image from Wikipedia
This tongue-in-cheek ad tried to be funny by listing reasons why men outshine women, including their supposed superior sense of humor and logic. It cloaked misogyny in faux humor. Audiences today would rightly call it out as offensive and dismissive.
13. Marlboro – Cowboys and rugged masculinity (1950s-70s)
Image from Wikipedia
The Marlboro Man wasn’t just selling cigarettes; he was selling a toxic brand of masculinity — stoic, rugged, and emotionless. While iconic, the image dismissed vulnerability in men and equated manhood with self-destruction. Today, it’d be critiqued for glamorizing unhealthy ideals and addiction.
14. Chase & Sanborn Coffee – “If your husband finds out you’re not store-testing for fresher coffee…” (1950s)
Image from Wikipedia
In one disturbing version of this ad, a husband is shown spanking his wife for not choosing the right coffee. The ad plays it for laughs, but it’s a chilling reflection of how normalized domestic violence and gendered humiliation once were.
15. Pond’s Cold Cream – “Is it always illegal to kill a woman?” (1920s)
Image from Wikipedia
A man asks this grim question because the women around him “torture” him with their bad skin — a bizarre way to sell cold cream. It mixes murder fantasy with beauty shaming. By today’s standards, this would be considered deeply disturbing and misogynistic.