Top 5 Shocking 20th Century Vintage Ads: From Piano Lounges to Asbestos Snow
Explore the most bizarre 20th century vintage ads, from air-conditioned lawnmowers to piano lounges in the sky. PRISM dives into the history of archaic marketing.
Ever thought about having a piano bar at 30,000 feet? In the 1970s, it wasn't just a dream. Bored Panda recently highlighted a collection of 20th century vintage ads from the Instagram page 'Archaic Ads', revealing a world where marketing had few boundaries and even fewer safety regulations.
Looking Back at 20th Century Vintage Ads: Where Innovation Met Danger
While we view the past through a lens of nostalgia, these ads show a different reality. From promoting asbestos as fluffy Christmas snow to suggesting babies be wrapped in cellophane for freshness, the mid-century era was a wild west of consumerism. Companies like DuPont and American Airlines pushed boundaries that would be strictly banned by today's standards.
- 1st: 1957 Future Power Mower (Equipped with air conditioning and radio, a 100% luxury gimmick)
- 2nd: American Airlines 747 Lounge (Removed 50 seats in 1970 to install a Wurlitzer piano)
- 3rd: Asbestos Snow Decor (Used in 1939's Wizard of Oz before being labeled a carcinogen)
- 4th: Infant Laudanum (Opium-based medicine widely sold in the late 19th century)
- 5th: The Speedy Weeny (A 1947 hot dog cooker using repurposed WWII radar technology)
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