Modern society can be traced through advertising. Marketing campaigns are primarily based on people’s wants and appeal to them. It’s weird to look at human history through the eyes of old advertisements. These vintage photos of bizarre food advertisements are primarily from the 1950s and 1960s, and Today they would probably be considered distasteful. Food tastes, diets, and dietary habits are also reflected in the advertisement. In the past, newspapers and magazines have played an essential role in advertising. Women’s and domestic magazines advertising food and drink products accounted for about 20 percent of all print advertising in the 1930s-1940s. Several psychologists contributed to advertising theory during the early 20th century, including Walter D. Scott and John B. Watson.
Most American women were not employed outside the home during the 1950s and 1960s. Back then, most families had only one car, fast food was not as prevalent as now, and married women were called housewives or homemakers. Dining out was usually a special occasion for many families. Advertisements tried to hit that spot. A great deal of food advertising was directed at women, who were the primary buyers of food in the household. Children were considered influential persuaders in that process and may accompany their mothers to buy family food, so advertising was also targeted at them.
Millions of Americans moved into new housing during the prosperous post-war era, especially in the rapidly growing suburbs. As a result, they spent a lot of money on housing, appliances, furniture, clothing, and automobiles. With the introduction of television in the 1950s, advertising dramatically expanded. Travel holidays became much more common, and the motel and tourism industries eagerly supported large-scale advertising with the advent of automobiles. Americanism was aggressively promoted by the Ad Council as a Cold War strategy, with campaigns such as Freedom Train, Crusade for Freedom, Religion in American Life, Adams for Piece, and Peoples Capitalism. The new Brand Names Foundation sponsored conferences, local campaigns, and educational programs to promote brand loyalty and free enterprise.
