Trailer trash

For a brief period in the 1950's, trailers were an almost acceptable lifestyle - advertised with enticing words about "no long-term debt" and "trailer parks are beautifully landscaped".

A world away from the trailer park of the 21st century, with squalid living, declining self-esteem, meth-labs and violence.

"The Mobile Home", 1959
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Pot-watching?

A kitchen range so intelligent that "it cooks meals while you are away".

Consumerism bull-hype overstating the simple fact that it only has timers to turn it on and off. That's all. Electric cooking is NOT automatic: you still have to keep an eye on your kitchen.

"Electric cooking", 1959
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Glow in the dark bottle

A small ad for the legendary bottle of "glow in the dark paint".

Guessing at the malevolent chemical responsible for the glow - the words "latest scientific discovery" point at a weak radium solution. But it could be a white phosphorus compound.

Radioactive or poisonous - back in 1931 those were minor details when selling a product.

"Luminous paint", 1931
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Greatest Self-Defense Offer Ever

The concept of this ad is pretty much illegal today- learn self-defense techniques and break the bones of your enemies using the "Guerrilla Defense" they call it. The line art says it all.

"You might be a lightweight but you can overpower the biggest bully" - a very risky claim if you have no previous real-life physical training. You might not get out of that one in one piece.

"Like twigs", 1943
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Not a man around

Before Feminism, big corporations were still playing with gender stereotypes in the mid-sixties.

A helpless woman cannot change a tyre or look for help. So you should buy the tyres that include the "SafetySpare"; they are almost as good as having a man around.

"Stranded, helpless", 1964
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