I didn’t meet the 1960s through history class. I met it at yard sales and in my grandma’s attic. Old Life magazines. Curling pages. Ink that smelled warm and sweet. I kept a stack, then ten stacks. And yes—I use the stuff those ads sold. My grandma’s Sunbeam Mixmaster. A Polaroid Swinger I found at a flea market. Tang in a bright tub. Even a battered Instamatic that still clicks.
If you want the deeper, play-by-play version of my scavenger hunts, I laid it all out in this long-form breakdown.
So, what do I think of 1960s ads? They’re clever. They’re bold. They’re also messy. Like family stories, they’ve got joy and a few hard truths.
For a sharp snapshot of why that decade is often called advertising’s “creative revolution,” check out how agencies such as DDB upended the old rules and sent the Volkswagen Beetle’s “Think Small” into the history books.
Let me explain.
Where I’ve Seen Them (and used them)
- Flipping original magazines from 1962 and 1968 on my kitchen table.
- Watching old TV spots on VHS and, later, online.
- Hanging a couple of framed prints in my office.
- Making Tang for my kids “like astronauts,” just for laughs.
- Snapping a shot with that Polaroid Swinger. It still pops out a print. Wild.
- Mixing cookie dough with the 60s Sunbeam. The motor hums like a steady old bus.
You know what? These ads felt alive when I touched the paper and used the gear. Not just old. Alive.
The Hits That Still Land
These are real campaigns I’ve held, watched, or even lived with.
- Volkswagen “Think Small.” and “Lemon.”
A tiny Beetle in a sea of white space. Simple copy. No fluff. I learned to drive stick in my uncle’s ‘68 Beetle, and the honesty in those lines? Still fresh. - Avis “We Try Harder.”
A number two brand saying it straight. That headline made me root for them. Clean layout. Clear voice. - Levy’s Rye Bread “You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s.”
Faces of New York—Black, Asian, white, kids, elders—holding a sandwich. Warm and proud. It felt like a city hug. - Honda Motorcycles “You meet the nicest people on a Honda.”
Not tough guys—moms, students, regular folks. I once rode a friend’s little Honda around a parking lot. It matched the vibe: kind, tidy, not scary. - Esso “Put a Tiger in Your Tank.”
I found a cloth tiger tail you could hang on your gas cap. Bright orange energy. Pure fun. - Alka-Seltzer “Spicy Meatball” (1969).
A fake ad shoot with take after take. Funny. Human. I still hear the fizz. - Polaroid Swinger “Only $19.95.”
That jingle sticks in your head. My Swinger still works. The print comes up silver, then, boom—there’s your face. - Pepsi “Come Alive! You’re in the Pepsi Generation.”
Youth, music, motion. It made soda feel like summer. - Braniff “The End of the Plain Plane.”
Bright planes, wild uniforms, color on color. I found an old in-flight card. It’s art you could hold. - Benson & Hedges 100’s “The Disadvantages of You.”
Sight gags with a too-long cigarette. Smart visual humor. - Wisk “Ring Around the Collar.” (1968)
A catchy line, but it nags the wife. We’ll talk about that. - Jell-O molds and mid-century dinners
Glossy towers of lime and carrot. Looks odd now, but those photos had charm. I made one once. It wobbled like a neon moon.
What Aged Well
- Craft. Lots of white space. Bold headlines. Serif type you can read.
- Copy that respects you. Long, clean sentences that tell you a story.
- Tone. Asks you to think, not just buy.
- Jingles that you hum without trying.
As a content nerd, I love the art direction. The layout grids. The rhythm of headline, body, and logo. It’s like jazz, but with kerning.
What Didn’t Age So Well
- Smoking glamor. Marlboro cowboys. Virginia Slims “You’ve come a long way, baby.” Cool vibe, but it sold harm. That’s a hard no for me now.
- Sexism in the kitchen sink. Wisk blaming “ring around the collar.” Palmolive’s “You’re soaking in it.” The tone puts housework on her and only her.
- Racist caricatures. Frito Bandito (late 60s). It mocked a whole group. I saw the ad art in a binder once, and it stung. Full stop.
If you need receipts, plenty of thoughtful breakdowns catalogue just how deeply those biases ran—and still echo today—inside 1960s campaigns and jingles; one concise roundup is this look at the period’s more problematic ads.
So yes, the craft sings. Some of the values do not.
Using the Real Stuff, Right Now
- Sunbeam Mixmaster (my grandma’s): Heavy, steady, and not fussy. It beats cookie dough like a champ. I use it every winter.
- Tang: Tastes like orange dust and summer camp. My kids loved the “space drink” bit. I loved their giggles more than the flavor.
- Polaroid Swinger: It’s clunky and cute. Photos feel like tiny gifts. The wait makes you slow down.
- Kodak Instamatic: Load, click, done. The shutter sound is joy. Film is pricey now, but that click is a time machine.
- VW Beetle (family car): Slow on hills, but full of heart. The ad promised simple. It delivered simple. If you’re wondering how modern car ads stack up, I spent twelve months tracking dealership campaigns—here’s what actually worked.
Why These Ads Still Matter
- They show how a smart idea beats a loud one.
- They prove trust sells: Avis admitted they were #2 and won fans.
- They remind us to watch for bias in bright colors. A sweet jingle can hide a sour message.
If you’re curious how these vintage lessons translate to modern campaigns, swing by Hunt Mads—it curates sharp examples without the retro baggage. For a very different product category, I also documented my attempts to market supplements on Google—the wins and face-plants are all here. Case in point, the testosterone-boosting supplement niche is packed with bombastic promises that would make Don Draper blush; if you’d like to see a step-by-step teardown of how one best-seller is pitched today, this meticulous Six Star Testosterone Booster review walks through the claims, fine print, and real-world results so you can compare hype versus hard data. Speaking of niche industries reinventing their outreach for the swipe-and-scroll era, the escort-review scene has evolved from blurred-backpage classifieds to slick phone interfaces—check out this tour of the Erotic Monkey mobile experience to see how UX tweaks, geo-filters, and rating systems are engineered to keep users engaged and informed on the go.
Honestly, I rewatch some of these on quiet nights with a cup of tea. I also teach my kids to ask, “What is this ad trying to make me feel?” Then we talk. That part might be my favorite use of all.
Quick Likes and Gripes
Likes:
- Clean design and brave headlines
- Real humor and human voice
- Photography that tells a story
Gripes:
- Harm sold as cool (cigs)
- Gender roles stuck in a box
- A few ads that punch down
My Verdict
As art and craft: 4.5 out of 5.
As a mirror of values: 2.5 out of 5.
As a living lesson you can hold, watch, and even taste: 4 out of 5.
Would I keep collecting and using the “safe” bits? Yes. I bake with the Sunbeam. I shoot the Swinger. I frame the VW “Think Small.” And I teach the rest, so we learn from it.
You know what? The 1960s ad world still talks. We just have to listen with our eyes open.