The 1980s were a wild ride for advertising. Bigger was better, stereotypes were everywhere, and a lot of humor or imagery that felt perfectly fine then would land brands in hot water now. From dated humor to questionable portrayals, these classic ads are prime examples of how cultural standards have changed—and how much fun we had back then (even if we cringe a little now).
1. Body Shaming as Motivation
The “Pinch an Inch” campaign from Special K urged women to pinch their waists to determine if they needed to lose weight. While the message was intended to promote healthy eating, the overt focus on physical perfection would be seen as harmful and tone-deaf in today’s body-positive era.
2. Sexism in Full Swing
Take the infamous Nissan Hardbody Trucks ad campaign, where women were shown fawning over rugged, masculine trucks with taglines implying that a man without one wasn’t much of a man. Ads like these reinforced strict gender roles, portraying women as accessories to men’s achievements—a concept that wouldn’t fly in today’s more inclusive landscape.
3. Stereotyping for Laughs
Consider Wendy’s iconic “Russian Fashion Show” commercial, which portrayed Soviet women as drab, humorless, and unfashionable. The ad got laughs in the ’80s but would now be criticized for relying on reductive cultural stereotypes to make its point.
4. Kids and Dangerous Behavior
The Big Wheel ads glorified kids zipping around on plastic trikes at high speeds, often in reckless ways. Safety standards have changed drastically, and any ad promoting such carefree (and potentially dangerous) play would be a liability nightmare today.
5. The Objectification of Women
One particularly infamous ad was the Diet Coke commercial showing a group of women ogling a shirtless male construction worker. While it flipped the script on traditional gender roles, the ad still treated the worker as a mere object of desire—something both genders critique more heavily now.
6. Smoking Ads Aimed at Teens
Camel’s Joe Camel ads didn’t start in the ’80s but gained traction during that decade. Featuring a cartoon camel in sunglasses, the campaign was accused of targeting kids and glamorizing smoking. Any ad like this would now be outright banned.
7. Tone-Deaf Cultural Appropriation
The Crispy Critters cereal ad featured a jingle with lyrics that mimicked exaggerated tribal chants. Ads like this treated non-Western cultures as punchlines rather than respecting their heritage, a practice that today would provoke outrage.
8. Exploiting Gender Expectations in Toys
The My Buddy doll commercial proudly presented the toy as a companion for boys who didn’t want “girly” dolls. While beloved in its time, the ad reinforced outdated notions that boys and girls couldn’t enjoy the same toys—a notion at odds with today’s push for inclusivity in childhood play.
9. Dated Beauty Standards
The L’Oreal Preference Hair Color ads featured lines like “Because I’m Worth It,” paired with an almost exclusively white cast of glamorous models. While the phrase remains iconic, the ads’ narrow portrayal of beauty would be heavily criticized today for lacking diversity.
10. Aggressive Diet Messaging
Slim Fast’s “A Shake for Breakfast, a Shake for Lunch, and a Sensible Dinner” was a slogan that dominated the ’80s. While it promoted weight loss, the messaging ignored mental health and a balanced relationship with food—issues more prominently discussed in today’s health-conscious world.
11. Dangerously Lax Attitudes Toward Alcohol
Coors Light ran ads with slogans like “Beer. It’s Not Just for Breakfast Anymore,” which, while tongue-in-cheek, suggested casual day drinking. Such messaging would be seen as promoting irresponsible consumption today, likely earning a PR nightmare for the brand.
12. Questionable Parenting Norms
Oreo’s “Moms Have It Hard” campaign showed harried mothers bribing their kids with cookies to get a moment’s peace. While relatable, the ad could be seen today as dismissive of parental stress and loaded with outdated gender roles about caregiving.
The Ads That Defined a Decade
The 1980s were all about pushing boundaries, and these ads certainly left their mark. While they may not hold up in today’s cultural climate, they remind us of a time when advertising embraced humor, boldness, and sometimes questionable taste. Revisiting them is like flipping through a scrapbook of a world that’s changed dramatically since then—and for better or worse, they’ll always hold a place in our memories.
