Critics often point out the flaws in old advertisements, focusing on their inherent social bias that seems ridiculous today. However, there’s another aspect to consider – dangerous ads that once led consumers into risky situations by promoting outdated scientific evidence or deceptive half-truths. These ads convinced people that extremely harmful or even deadly products were beneficial.
While some misleading campaigns were simply victims of evolving scientific knowledge, many deliberately ignored facts in their pursuit of profit. They used so-called experts to endorse products that were harmful to public health, such as cigarettes. Even respected professionals like doctors and scientists routinely provided advice that turned out to be harmful, a trend that might still be happening today. Although we may think we’ve moved past the days of dangerous ads, the current obesity epidemic suggests otherwise. We might have swapped issues like lung cancer and emphysema for diabetes and heart disease.
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Let’s take a look at 10 particularly dangerous ads from the past
What may seem like useful and innovative products at the time aren’t always so. With time, their novelty wares, sometimes so thin you can see the danger within.
Nutrient-Boosted Junk Food
The practice of masking unhealthy snacks with a facade of nutritional benefits has been around since the discovery of vitamins in the 1910s. Take, for example, the 1942 poster advertising “Vitamin Donuts,” a concept that may seem absurd today. Ovaltine, known for positioning itself as a health drink, still faces debates over its actual health merits despite its historical reputation. The 1947 Ovaltine ad, boasting numerous nutritional advantages in two glasses of powdered milk, resembles the purported benefits of contemporary drinks like Vitamin Water or Gatorade. The ad disregards the benefits of whole foods and boils their benefits down to individual components.
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DDT: A Household Essential?
DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) may have seemed like an amazing innovation at the time, but the controversial insecticide was anything but. The United States banned the use of DDT in 1972 due to its environmental impact. However, some countries still use it today.
The above is a 1947 ad for “Penn Salt Chemicals” for now-illegal DDT. It was promoted to be used for various purposes, from agricultural sprays to household pesticides. The image of a mother and infant is particularly problematic. The caption reads that DDT “helps make healthier, more comfortable homes.”
Lead-Paint Parties for Kids – one of the most dangerous ads
An unsettling aspect of this 1923 dangerous ad is its celebration of children enjoying a lead paint party, as the sweet flavor of lead paint contributed to children ingesting this hazardous substance. The brochure emphasizes the extensive use of the “Lead Family” of products in children’s surroundings. Making them particularly vulnerable to its dangers. The detrimental effects of lead poisoning were known well before the Consumer Product Safety Commission finally banned lead-containing products in 1977, as the industry had ignored or downplayed these risks for years.
Shock Therapy for Physical Perfection
In 1922, “Violet Rays” were believed to cure a wide range of ailments. The Vi-Rex device allowed users to administer home shock treatments by plugging into a light socket, promising to make them “vital, compelling, and magnetic.” The FDA eventually prohibited their manufacture in 1951, but contemporary claims of new infrared devices promoting various health benefits echo similar trends.
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7-Up: Not Just for Adults
Advertisements from 1955 and 1953 suggest that sugary sodas like 7-Up contribute to babies growing up strong and fit. This notion is disturbing, considering the current link between childhood obesity and excessive soda consumption, which is shortening the lives of the youngest generation. While it may seem absurd now to show a baby drinking soda, the contemporary battle against sugary drinks continues with the removal of soda machines from schools and proposals for bans on oversized sodas.
Dieting with Sugar
In a pre-obesity epidemic era, sugar companies suggested that consuming sweets could inspire weight loss. Ads from 1969 recommend having a soft drink before meals or snacking on candy before lunch. The peculiar logic presented in these ads is not associated with any specific company, emphasizing the deceptive nature of the campaign.
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Cigarettes: Prescribed by Doctors
Camel’s 1948 campaign featuring doctor endorsements is a well-known example of false advertising. Almost every cigarette company distorted scientific findings to support their products. Such as Chesterfield’s 1953 ads suggesting that smoking had “no adverse effect.” Despite conclusive studies linking smoking to lung cancer published in 1950, the tobacco industry continued spreading misleading health information in pursuit of profit.
Red Meat: The Trim Choice
Post-World War II ads from 1956 and 1946 promote the consumption of red meat as a way to stay “in trim.” The American Meat Institute orchestrated this campaign, and today, we know that excessive red meat intake increases the risk of heart disease and cancer. Industry trade groups continue to shape food trends to boost sales or combat negative perceptions. Similar to the ongoing debates about modern foods like agave nectar and chia seeds.
Lysol as Feminine Hygiene
Before Lysol became a harsh household cleaner, it was promoted as a feminine hygiene product. Ads from 1948 suggest using poisonous Lysol internally as a means of saving marriages by implying cleanliness. During a time when discussing intimacy was taboo, various intimate products were marketed with campaigns focusing on dubious health benefits for women.
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Plastics: Not Just Cute Packaging
While modern viewers find ads depicting babies suffocating in clear cellophane packaging frightening, these 1954 Du Pont Cellophane ads were considered cute at the time. The dangers of plastic bags became evident only in the 1970s when they became widespread. This serves as a reminder that seemingly harmless trends can have unforeseen consequences.
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