Only men need apply

This recruitment ad is both chauvinistic and borderline camp, even though it encourages readers to join the Army to feel like real men.

"Feel like a man", 1963
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Be a patriot

Another Cold War example of how to stir those patriotic feelings: see what the bad guys are doing, and then come and see us try to do it better.

"Russian Expo", 1967
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Short? Just lie

"A girl likes to look UP to her man..." - what a load of rubbish.

The solution for men of short stature. Lie about it and get some "Elevator Shoes".

"Elevators", 1964
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Female afflictions

A wonderful ad from the pre-"womens liberation" movement of the late '60s. The product is purported to relieve stomach acid discomfort ocurring from tension in everyday chores.

Women back then did things like "cleaning". Or "ironing". Very charming. No mention of "working in an office".

But including "punish" and "temper" has raised a few eyebrows around the editorial team - we leave you to guess the context of those ones.

"Magnesia", 1965
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Drive and dine

Fathers who take their families once a week for dinner are "the greatest guys in the world". They get to spend the beautiful Spring days together, and Dad can let Mother "off the kitchen duty once a week".

Charming. Truly vintage 1950's sexism.

Not surprisingly, the ad itself is sponsored by General Foods International -a conglomerate- and the National Restaurant Association. Talk about propping up the market!

"Drive and dine", 1956
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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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