Posts

1983: McDonnell Douglas

Image
  Year : 1983 Advertiser : McDonnell Douglas Message : Referencing first the olive branch on the Great Seal of the United States, the ad explains that having a large military is a good way to prevent people from going to war with you (and thus a good way to ensure peace). At the same time, the ad also references the Seal's arrows, saying that should conflict actually break out, the U.S. will be ready thanks, in part, to McDonnell Douglas' F-15 Eagle. Background/Fun Fact : Douglas Aircraft Company, one of the two companies which would later merge to become McDonnell Douglas, was one of the first companies to develop ejection seats and surface-to-air missiles, among other innovations. Sources :     - Ad : Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : Wikipedia
Post a Comment
Read more

1948: American Cyanamid

Image
  Year : 1948 Advertiser : American Cyanamid Message : Together with the look and feel of "normal" kitchenware, Melmac plates' (manufactured by American Cyanamid) durability make them the optimal choice for restaurants and dining spaces in general. Background/Fun Fact : American Cyanamid originally produced fertilizer. The company's name is derived from the chemical name of the fertilizer--calcium cyanamide.  Sources :     - Ad : Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : Wikipedia
Post a Comment
Read more

1978: Audemars Piguet

Image
      Year : 1978 Advertiser : Audemars Piguet Message : Written in 1978, this ad emphasizes the extreme accuracy of Audemars Piguet's watches. The only time a customer will have to adjust his or her watch is during a year that should have been a leap year...over 100 years in the future. Background/Fun Fact : Audemars Piguet, based in Le Brassus, Switzerland, produces roughly 40,000 watches a year. Sources :     - Ad :  Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : Wikipedia
Post a Comment
Read more

1993: JanSport

Image
  Year : 1993 Advertiser : JanSport (VF Corporation) Message : Speaking to those people who see themselves as free-spirited, spur-of-the-moment individuals JanSport displays, in its ad, things its customers likely hear all the time. JanSport positions itself as a brand for those individuals who want to get away from it all--away from the daily grind, away from the corporate life. Background/Fun Fact : As of 2007 JanSport, along with sister brand North Face, makes almost half of all small backpacks sold in America. Sources :     - Ad : Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : USA Today
Post a Comment
Read more

1980: Dexter

Image
  Year : 1980 Advertiser : Dexter (Dexter Shoe Company) Message : With a nod to the 1970s Miller Lite "Tastes Great, Less Filling" ads, Dexter makes no secret about what makes their shoes better than their competitors'. Background/Fun Fact : The founder of the Dexter Shoe Company, Harold Alfond, is credited with creating the first outlet store (or more accurately, factory outlet). In the industry the practice was to sell shoes that came out damaged for one dollar a pair to a wholesaler who would then sell these shoes at a markup. In the 1960s Alfond decided to start selling his "factory-damaged" shoes in-house, opening a factory outlet at Dexter's Skowhegan, Maine, factory. Sources :     - Ad : Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : Wikipedia
Post a Comment
Read more

1968: Vepco

Image
  Year : 1968 Advertiser : Vepco/VEPCO (Virginia Electric and Power Company) Message: In an effort to convince its customers to use more electricity Vepco argues that the higher charges on customers' utility bills is a--no pun intended--very small price to pay in exchange for a few hours of entertainment. (One cent in 2022 dollars is eight cents.) Background/Fun Fact : As of April 2022 Dominion Energy, the successor to Vepco, provides electricity to eight states--Idaho, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Sources :     - Ad : Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : Wikipedia
Post a Comment
Read more

1951: Auto-Lite

Image
    Year : 1951 Advertiser : Auto-Lite Message : While some spark plugs may look alike, don't be fooled! There is only one Auto-Lite and its spark plugs will deliver better results for your car. Background/Fun Fact : Auto-Lite sparks plugs are, and have been since 2000, the official spark plug of NASCAR. Sources :     - Ad : Vintage Ad Browser     - Fun Fact : Wikipedia
Post a Comment
Read more