What were we thinking? - dialup warning

[ashling]

https://mail.wc.edu/owa/?ae=Item&t=IPM.Note&a=New

Often the criticism of vintage ads focuses on their inherent sexism, racism, or other displays of social prejudices, which we find laughable today, despite their continued presence. But what about ads that steered consumers into dangerous territory, espousing outmoded scientific evidence or misleading half-truths to convince people that appallingly toxic products, or even deadly ones, were actually good for them?

While some faulty campaigns were merely the victims of evolving scientific knowledge, many blatantly ignored facts in their race for the dollar, using so-called experts to promote products terrible for public health, like cigarettes. Revered professionals like doctors and scientists routinely told us precisely the wrong things to do, as they are likely still doing today.

“Diet Hint: Sugar might just be the willpower you need to curb your appetite.”

We may take comfort in feeling we’re far beyond the bad old days of deceptive advertising, but our current obesity epidemic suggests exactly the opposite: We’ve simply traded effects like lung cancer and emphysema for diabetes and heart diseaseften the criticism of vintage ads focuses on their inherent sexism, racism, or other displays of social prejudices, which we find laughable today, despite their continued presence. But what about ads that steered consumers into dangerous territory, espousing outmoded scientific evidence or misleading half-truths to convince people that appallingly toxic products, or even deadly ones, were actually good for them?

While some faulty campaigns were merely the victims of evolving scientific knowledge, many blatantly ignored facts in their race for the dollar, using so-called experts to promote products terrible for public health, like cigarettes. Revered professionals like doctors and scientists routinely told us precisely the wrong things to do, as they are likely still doing today.

“Diet Hint: Sugar might just be the willpower you need to curb your appetite.”

We may take comfort in feeling we’re far beyond the bad old days of deceptive advertising, but our current obesity epidemic suggests exactly the opposite: We’ve simply traded effects like lung cancer and emphysema for diabetes and heart disease

1. Junk Food, Now Fortified with Vitamins and Minerals




2. Let Them Eat Lead




3. 7-Up is for Babies




4. Cigarettes: Just What the Doctor Ordered




5. Feminine Hygiene: The Original Home Wrecker




6. Plastics, Plastics, Everywhere




7. The Meat Mystery




8. Dieting? Try Sugar




9. Shock Your Way to Physical Perfection




10. DDT For You and Me

Blast from the past

[In_The_Wind]

1. Kicked for visibility!

Great post.

[ashling]

9. Thanks

[RebelOne]

2. I only remember the cigarette ads.

I was a kid and did not smoke at that time. I do now. Maybe those ads stuck in my head.

[Art_from_Ark]

7. I remember cigarette commercials on TV,

including a couple that really intrigued me, like this one from 1967. Fortunately, I grew up in a smoke-free home, and when I was around smokers, my coughing and general discomfort (not to mention tobacco smell on my hair and clothes) were enough to convince me not to take up the habit. But I still loved this commercial.

[Archae]

11. Fred and Barney smoking...

My teenage nephew didn't believe me that the Flintstones sold cigarettes.
Was he startled to see this:

[Art_from_Ark]

12. And Wilma was lighting up, too

When I first saw that commercial, I thought, "Not you, too, Wilma!"

[NYC_SKP]

3. Imma spread the good news about DDT! On my FaceBook page!!!

[BlueStreak]

4. What's a "dial up"?

Is that anything like a typewriter?

[ashling]

10. All I know is thatif I post something with 4 or 5 pictures

somebody will invariably tell me that I am
being evil to dial up users
if I don't warn them

[Blue_In_AK]

5. I still remember the smell of DDT

My grandmother used to kill flies with it. It came in some kind of little pump gadget.

[PoliticAverse]

6. What indeed...

[hibbing]

8. Ovaltine

The little boy all excited about getting ready to drink his Ovaltine reminds of of Michelle Bachman (or her husband) getting ready to eat a corndog.

Peace

[Scuba]

13. Perhaps regulation of the market is a good thing?