The 1960s were a golden age of advertising—Mad Men weren’t just a TV show idea; they were real. But looking back, some of those ads leave us scratching our heads or downright cringing. What once felt like clever marketing or harmless fun often reflects outdated views we’ve since moved past. Let’s take a nostalgic yet critical trip down memory lane with 12 ads from the ’60s that would never make it to air today.
1. Because Innocence Is More Attractive Than You Think (Baby Soft)
Yikes. This Baby Soft campaign tried to sell cosmetics with a tagline that feels outright predatory today. Modern beauty ads focus on empowerment and self-expression, steering clear of anything that romanticizes innocence in this unsettling way.
2. “Blow in Her Face and She’ll Follow You Anywhere” (Tipalet Cigarettes)
Imagine seeing this ad pop up during a prime-time commercial break today. A man blowing cigarette smoke into a woman’s face as a surefire way to woo her? What was intended to be suave now feels invasive and incredibly tone-deaf, especially with today’s understanding of personal boundaries—and, you know, secondhand smoke.
3. “You Mean a Woman Can Open It?” (Del Monte Ketchup)
This ad turned opening a ketchup bottle into a major gender event. Highlighting a “new easy-open lid” with the implication that women struggled with the old one would not sit well today. Modern ads avoid patronizing tones and instead emphasize inclusivity and capability.
4. “Show Her It’s a Man’s World” (Van Heusen)
A smiling woman serving breakfast in bed to her husband while he smugly reads the paper, accompanied by that tagline. Today, this imagery would spark outrage, as society now champions equality and partnership over outdated, rigid gender roles.
5. “Most Doctors Smoke Camels”
Ads like this, featuring medical professionals endorsing cigarettes, feel almost dystopian by today’s standards. With all we now know about the dangers of smoking, this one’s as shocking as it is baffling—and a stark reminder of how far public health messaging has come.
6. “The Chef Does Everything but Cook” (Kenwood Mixers)
This gem featured a smiling woman clutching a kitchen mixer, with the ad implying that all she needed to do was watch the machine work. While the intention was likely to praise the product’s convenience, the ad cemented women’s roles in the kitchen in a way that feels painfully outdated.
7. “For Your Shape, Not His” (Silhouette Slimming Bras)
This bra ad tried to empower women while subtly shaming them for not maintaining a “perfect” figure. Today’s body-positive movements would flip this script entirely, focusing on comfort and confidence rather than conforming to someone else’s standards.
8. “Is It Always Illegal to Kill a Woman?” (Pitney Bowes Postage Meter)
Yes, you read that right—this jaw-dropping tagline wasn’t from some edgy satire but an actual ad for a postage meter. The idea was to use shock value, showing a glamorous secretary supposedly driving her boss to frustration over mailing mistakes. While it might have gotten a chuckle in the 1960s, today it feels unsettling and entirely out of place. Modern ads focus on promoting products with clever humor or practicality, steering far away from dark, violent undertones.
9. “If You Must Set Her Free, At Least Keep Her Smelling Sweet” (Body on Tap Shampoo)
This bizarrely possessive ad suggested that even if a woman leaves her man, her scent should still linger to make him happy. Today, it’s all about empowerment and independence—this one’s a hard no for modern audiences.
10. “The Harder a Wife Works, the Cuter She Looks!” (Kellogg’s Pep)
A cereal ad trying to make housework glamorous? While it might have been a lighthearted nod to busy homemakers, it now reads as dismissive and patronizing. These days, ads are more likely to celebrate shared household responsibilities.
11. “Keep Her Where She Belongs” (Hoover Vacuums)
This campaign practically handed out permission slips for husbands to reinforce sexist stereotypes. A modern vacuum ad wouldn’t dream of suggesting a woman’s worth is tied to housework—it’s about convenience and lifestyle, not outdated roles.
12. “You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby” (Virginia Slims)
While it seemed progressive at the time, marketing cigarettes as a symbol of women’s liberation is a hard sell now. The co-opting of feminism to sell unhealthy products feels wildly inappropriate in hindsight.
It’s fascinating—and a little shocking—to see how much has changed since the ’60s. These ads weren’t just products of their time; they also shaped perceptions and societal norms. While they may spark nostalgia, they also remind us how much progress we’ve made in embracing equality, empowerment, and health. What’s your most memorable or cringeworthy ad from the past? Let’s keep this conversation going!
