Vintage Advertisements
Vintage advertisements are old print and broadcast ads that show how American brands sold to the public across the twentieth century.
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American advertising by decade
Start with the decade you want.
| Decade | What defined it |
|---|---|
| 1920s | Mass-circulation magazines carry the first large national ad campaigns |
| 1950s | Television arrives; brand mascots become a household fixture |
| 1960s | The "creative revolution": witty, self-aware copy (Volkswagen, Avis) |
| 1980s | Cable TV and longer-format commercials expand ad reach |
Mascots that became famous
Table of eras and what defined them.
| Decade | What defined it | Page |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | Mass magazines carry the first national campaigns | Guide coming soon |
| 1950s | Television arrives; brand mascots multiply | Guide coming soon |
| 1930s–80s | Cereal-box characters built for recognition | Guide coming soon |
| 1952–present | One of the longest-running cereal mascots | Guide coming soon |
Dates above are drawn from each brand's own published history and trade-press coverage; a page without a confirmed public source is left off this table rather than guessed at.
Slogans people still remember
Lines that outlived their campaigns.
| Slogan | Brand | Year |
|---|---|---|
| "Think Small" | Volkswagen | 1959 |
| "We Try Harder" | Avis | 1962 |
| "Where's the Beef?" | Wendy's | 1984 |
| "Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands" | M&M's | 1954 |
Dates and credits come from public sources.
