1. Schlitz Beer’s “The Beer That Made Milwaukee Famous”
Beer commercials in the ’70s were loud, unapologetic, and often full of stereotypes. Schlitz leaned into working-class masculinity with ads that featured men cracking open a cold one after a “hard day’s work” while women were often relegated to serving roles. Today, the blatant gender divide would spark backlash instantly.
The beer industry still runs commercials, of course, but the tone has changed. Modern ads are often playful or creative, while Schlitz’s message boiled down to “real men drink Schlitz.” That macho appeal worked at the time, but today it would feel dated, dismissive, and out of step with how brands try to connect with broader audiences.
2. Kool Cigarettes with Medical Endorsements
Yes, cigarette commercials were still around in the early ’70s, and Kool made some especially jarring ones. They often featured doctors or actors in white coats suggesting menthol cigarettes were refreshing or even better for your throat. The mix of medical imagery and smoking is shocking by today’s standards.
Tobacco ads were banned from television in 1971, but they had already left a mark. Seeing a “doctor” recommend smoking now feels unthinkable, knowing what we do about lung cancer and addiction. These ads are a reminder of just how much the tobacco industry once shaped public perception.
3. Calgon’s “Ancient Chinese Secret”
This laundry detergent commercial is one of the most infamous examples of casual racism in advertising. A Chinese-American man runs a dry cleaner, and when a customer asks about his spotless work, he responds with the infamous line about an “ancient Chinese secret.” His wife rolls her eyes, exposing that the “secret” was just Calgon.
What aired as lighthearted humor in the ’70s is now a glaring example of stereotyping. Asian characters were often portrayed as mysterious or exotic, and this commercial leaned right into that trope. It’s safe to say no brand would attempt anything like it today.
4. Jell-O with Bill Cosby Pitching to Kids
Back in the ’70s, Jell-O leaned heavily on family-friendly ads with Bill Cosby as the face of the brand. He often spoke directly to children, encouraging them to enjoy pudding snacks or colorful gelatin. At the time, he was seen as a wholesome figure, making the partnership seem perfect.
Knowing what we know now, these ads are impossible to rewatch without discomfort. Beyond Cosby’s fall from grace, modern advertisers shy away from celebrity endorsements that directly target kids. The entire approach feels dated, both in tone and in choice of spokesperson.
5. Hai Karate Cologne and Its “Control Her” Message
Hai Karate cologne ads became infamous for their over-the-top gimmick. The premise was that the scent was so irresistible that women would throw themselves at any man wearing it. Each commercial showed men desperately defending themselves from mobs of women.
The humor was cheeky, but the message doesn’t hold up. Reducing women to uncontrollable forces because of a fragrance feels wildly inappropriate today. Not only does it lean on outdated gender stereotypes, but it also turns romance into something cartoonish and a little creepy.
6. Folgers Coffee with Husbands Complaining
A whole series of Folgers commercials featured husbands nagging their wives for brewing “bad coffee.” The wives would apologize, switch to Folgers, and suddenly their marriages were saved. These ads played right into the stereotype that coffee-making was a wife’s duty.
Looking back, it’s both funny and frustrating to see how normalized that messaging was. Coffee commercials today usually focus on quality, energy, or lifestyle appeal. The idea of scolding your spouse for their coffee choice wouldn’t just bomb—it would probably go viral for all the wrong reasons.
7. Virginia Slims’ “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby”
Virginia Slims created one of the most famous ad campaigns of the ’70s, tying cigarettes to women’s liberation. The slogan “You’ve come a long way, baby” was paired with images of fashionable women, suggesting smoking was part of female empowerment.
Today, the idea of linking addiction to liberation would be considered dangerous marketing. While the ads were stylish and clever, they also manipulated a real social movement to sell cigarettes. It’s hard to imagine anything like it airing now without a public outcry.
8. Alka-Seltzer’s “Try It, You’ll Like It”
This campaign showed a man being coaxed into trying unfamiliar food, only to end up sick and needing Alka-Seltzer. While the jingle was catchy, the humor relied on mocking different ethnic dishes as “strange.” That kind of cultural stereotyping doesn’t fly today.
The commercial was meant to be funny, but it also reinforced the idea that anything outside “mainstream” American food was suspicious. With food diversity celebrated now, this ad would feel offensive instead of humorous.
9. McDonald’s “Ronald McDonald and the Creepy Clowns”
In the ’70s, McDonald’s went all-in on clown imagery to market to kids. Ronald McDonald wasn’t alone, either—there was an entire cast of characters like Grimace, Hamburglar, and Mayor McCheese who lived in McDonaldland. The commercials were colorful and campy, but Ronald himself often came across as unsettling. His painted face, exaggerated smile, and habit of showing up uninvited to play with kids would be considered way too creepy today.
Clowns have since taken on a more sinister reputation, and children’s advertising is more tightly regulated. A grown man in face paint luring kids into a magical world for burgers feels inappropriate now. McDonald’s has toned down Ronald’s presence in recent years, but back in the ’70s, he was everywhere—and it’s easy to see why those ads wouldn’t get the green light today.
10. Ajax Cleanser’s “White Knight”
Ajax ran ads where a knight in shining armor rode around spraying women with cleanser. They’d squeal with delight as their sinks and bathtubs magically turned sparkling white. It was meant to be charming, but the knight’s antics now come across as intrusive and bizarre.
The imagery is especially outdated because it ties housework to female happiness. Instead of empowering consumers, the ad leaned on a fantasy male figure who solved domestic chores “for” women. It’s hard to imagine anyone today reacting with delight to a stranger barging in with cleaning spray.
11. Bayer Aspirin for Children
Aspirin was once marketed directly to kids, and Bayer even sold “children’s aspirin” with ads showing parents happily handing out the pills. The commercials treated it almost like candy, emphasizing its fruity flavor and ease of use.
Of course, by the late ’70s and early ’80s, doctors warned against giving aspirin to children due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome. Looking back, the casual tone of those ads feels unsettling. No pharmaceutical brand today would dare advertise medication that way to kids.
12. Shake ’n Bake with “And I Helped”
This one may seem harmless on the surface, but it leaned heavily on gender roles. The ads usually showed a mom making dinner with the help of her daughter. The famous tagline, “And I helped,” came from the little girl proudly announcing her small contribution.
While sweet, the commercials excluded dads and sons entirely. Cooking was portrayed as exclusively women’s work, a message that feels narrow now. Brands today aim for inclusivity, so this kind of “girls help mom in the kitchen” ad would likely never make it past a modern focus group.
13. Dr. Pepper’s “Most Original Soft Drink”
Dr. Pepper ads in the ’70s often included actors in skimpy outfits dancing in ways that blurred the line between playful and suggestive. The brand tried to position itself as youthful and edgy, but the sexual undertones were hard to miss.
It’s not that soft drink commercials can’t be flirty, but these leaned too far into objectification. Selling soda with sexuality doesn’t connect well now, especially when brands are expected to market responsibly. The tone would feel awkwardly forced in today’s market.
14. Nestlé Quik with Racial Stereotypes
Nestlé Quik had a series of animated commercials with a character named “Quiky the Bunny.” Some versions featured caricatures of other cultures, complete with exaggerated accents or tropes, as obstacles keeping kids from their chocolate milk.
Those cartoon stereotypes seemed harmless at the time but feel offensive now. Animation often got away with pushing boundaries, but brands today are much more careful. The casual use of accents and stereotypes to sell chocolate milk simply wouldn’t air anymore.
15. Playtex Living Bras with Near-Nudity
Playtex bras were often advertised by showing women actually wearing them, which was rare on TV at the time. These commercials often featured close-ups that were considered daring for the era, but by today’s broadcast standards, they might cross into overexposure.
While lingerie commercials are common now, they usually rely on suggestive editing rather than straightforward demonstration. The bluntness of Playtex ads would raise eyebrows and likely be pulled for being too risqué on network television. They were groundbreaking in the ’70s but too direct for today’s primetime.
