15 Retro Magazine Ads from the ’70s That Would Cause a Stir
These vintage ’70s magazine ads might’ve seemed normal back then, but today they'd spark major controversy.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
The 1970s were a different era — especially in advertising. Brands pushed bold, bizarre, and often questionable messages in print that wouldn’t pass today’s standards. These 15 retro magazine ads from the ’70s would definitely raise eyebrows (and maybe lawsuits) if they ran now.
1. Cigarette Ads Featuring Doctors
Todd Lappin on Flickr
Yes, actual physicians once endorsed smoking. Ads claimed certain brands were smoother on the throat. The idea of doctors pushing tobacco today is laughable — and alarming.
2. “Wives Should Look Pretty for Their Husbands” Campaigns
Lisa from Pexels on Pexels
Beauty brands ran ads implying a woman’s worth came from pleasing her man. It wasn’t subtle — it was expected. These messages were baked into everyday marketing.
3. Kids in Beer Commercials
ChrisGoldNY on Flickr
Some beer companies used cartoonish graphics and playful tones, clearly appealing to younger eyes. Though not directly targeting kids, the implication was hard to ignore.
4. Airline Ads Promoting Attractive Stewardesses
Nationaal Archief on Unsplash
Flight attendants were sold as eye candy. Taglines like “I’m Cheryl, Fly Me” reduced women to flying flirtations. The ads sexualized a profession under the guise of service.
5. Weight Loss Ads with Wild Claims
American Tobacco Company on Wikimedia Commons
Pills and potions promised rapid results with zero effort. Ads showed before-and-after bodies with unrealistic expectations.
6. Corporations Bragging About Pollution
Pixabay on Pexels
Some oil and chemical companies tried to rebrand smog and smoke as signs of progress. Their ads framed environmental harm as a necessary evil — or even a patriotic duty.
7. Diet Candy with Appetite Suppressants
Ewan Robertson on Unsplash
Ayds candy bars advertised weight loss through sweet treats packed with questionable ingredients. The name alone didn’t age well into the ’80s.
8. Cologne Ads with Aggressive Masculinity
Franco Monsalvo on Pexels
Fragrances sold with forceful slogans like “Be the man she can’t resist.” Some borders on creepy, suggesting dominance equals desire.
9. Children Riding Without Seatbelts in Car Ads
Anton Luzhkovsky on Unsplash
Automakers featured kids bouncing freely in backseats—no straps, just smiles. Safety was barely mentioned, a sharp contrast to today’s child restraint standards.
10. Skin-Lightening Product Promos
Vámosi István “MINRO” on Pexels
Some beauty brands advertised fairer skin as a mark of success. These ads played into colorist ideals that still spark debate today. They were subtle — or sometimes not — but always problematic.
11. Ads Glorifying Gender Roles in Households
Elina Fairytale on Pexels
Husbands relaxing with newspapers while wives cooked in full makeup? That was standard. Marketing leaned hard into stereotypes.
12. Alcohol as a Parenting Reward
Hiki Liu on Unsplash
Slogans like “You’ve earned it, Mom” placed wine as a stress relief for mothers. It blurred the lines between humor and unhealthy coping. The casual tone wouldn’t pass with today’s watchdogs.
13. Guns Marketed as Toys or Lifestyle Accessories
KoolShooters on Pexels
Some firearm ads styled guns like everyday carry items for men, women — even teens. They were sold with fashion and flair.
14. Racially Insensitive Cartoons in Food Ads
fauxels on Pexels
Mascots and caricatures were often steeped in stereotypes. Brands used outdated imagery without blinking. What passed as “fun” then is considered offensive now.
15. Ads Promoting Corporal Punishment
haven’t the slightest on Flickr
Some parenting products linked “discipline” with physical punishment, and advertisers leaned in. One even showed a paddle as a gift suggestion. That kind of content today would spark a firestorm.