What do you think?
Rate this book
Outdated Advertising: Sexist, Racist, Creepy, and Just Plain Tasteless Ads from a Pre-PC Era
This outrageous collection of inappropriate ads will have you turning the pages and shaking your head in disbelief.Outdated Memories from a Less-than-PC Era takes a look at print advertising from the mid-1850s through the 1980s with an eye toward ads that were notorious for their sexist, racist, politically-incorrect, or other wildly inappropriate content—or for just plain bad taste. Among the dozens of full-color examples, readers will a woman being spanked by her husband for not buying the right coffeethe story of a mother having to turn her child over to an orphanage because her late husband didn’t keep up his life insurance payments Aunt Jemima declaring “Happy days is here!” because of her new pancake recipedoctors promoting particular brands of cigarettesthe Michael Jackson Rainbow Brite portable record player with the copy line, “Gifts to keep children singing.” Advertising has changed over the decades—that is a major understatement. Despite the nostalgia of such shows as Mad Men, the outrageous images in Outdated Advertising show readers just how far we’ve come since then.
- GenresNonfictionHistoryHumor
182 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2017
37 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Michael Lewis
291 books60 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads' database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 24, 2022
No one, apparently, put the tiniest amount of effort into this “book.” There’s no commentary; fine. The ads don’t really need it. But notices of slave auctions do not inspire indulgent smiles and laughs of disbelief. They’re fascinating and horrifying, but they do not belong in this book. No brains and no taste, there.
Also, in the section about WWII propaganda there’s a stupid error: an image of a giant shoe stepping on a woman (or maybe it’s a normal-sized shoe stepping on a tiny woman, I don’t know), with the caption, “If Russia and the Communists should win the next war, many American men would be sterilized.” Um, this isn’t from WWII. Nor is it an ad. It’s the title page of a story in the February, 1953 issue of a magazine called Man to Man (thanks, lileks.com). We weren’t fighting Russia in WWII, remember, editors?
But worst of all, what makes this “book” next to worthless is the atrocious quality of the images. There are 147 ads in this book (I think), and all but ten or so are pixelated, with unreadable smaller type. In short, this “book” appears to have been put together by lazy dopes.
-----------------------------
Edit: on the plus side, I think I’ve found the source for “Bob” Dobbs! Second down, with the pipe!
(This image is of far better quality than the one in the book.)
Also, in the section about WWII propaganda there’s a stupid error: an image of a giant shoe stepping on a woman (or maybe it’s a normal-sized shoe stepping on a tiny woman, I don’t know), with the caption, “If Russia and the Communists should win the next war, many American men would be sterilized.” Um, this isn’t from WWII. Nor is it an ad. It’s the title page of a story in the February, 1953 issue of a magazine called Man to Man (thanks, lileks.com). We weren’t fighting Russia in WWII, remember, editors?
But worst of all, what makes this “book” next to worthless is the atrocious quality of the images. There are 147 ads in this book (I think), and all but ten or so are pixelated, with unreadable smaller type. In short, this “book” appears to have been put together by lazy dopes.
-----------------------------
Edit: on the plus side, I think I’ve found the source for “Bob” Dobbs! Second down, with the pipe!
(This image is of far better quality than the one in the book.)
July 13, 2020
A collection of images with a foreword and an introduction that don’t really go anywhere when it comes to analysis. Not all that comprehensive either in scope of categories or in depth within the categories. Really just an amusing sampler.
November 15, 2022
it is literally a collection, sans commentary. the most legible words you'll get are in the foreword, and good luck reading the fine print on some of the photos. clippings like those for slave auctions are truly from another era, as is the sheer amount of sexism present in many of them. you would probably have better returns using Google search.
December 26, 2023
Wow. This book is well done. You'll find this eye-opening if you are interested in advertising through history and your knowledge is limited. If you have a strong knowledge base of advertising through history, this may be old information to you.
Because of my age, I remember some of these and being influenced by them as a young person.
I'm shocked at some of them for how inappropriate they are and it makes me grateful that I wasn't an adult during those periods.
I think the title could be reworked because saying "Pre-PC Era" will turn off some people who might otherwise pick it up. I saw this because I know liberals who are offended by the term "PC" just as much as some right-wingers. (Language is fascinating.)
Anyway, this is a fascinating book, and if you're interested in advertising, I highly recommend reading this.
I took one star off because each chapter could have had an introduction and/or a summary at the end to put them into greater context. Also, the images were scanned in and the text is often unreadable.
It's a quick read, but it is disturbing. Be prepared to be shocked. I can see this being used in academic settings, but it's engaging for nonacademic readers.
The title does point out that the ads in it are sexist, racist, creepy, and tasteless. This is not a "fun" coffee table book.
As someone who's worked in communications for several decades, I would have loved to have had my hands on this when I was a college student.
Because of my age, I remember some of these and being influenced by them as a young person.
I'm shocked at some of them for how inappropriate they are and it makes me grateful that I wasn't an adult during those periods.
I think the title could be reworked because saying "Pre-PC Era" will turn off some people who might otherwise pick it up. I saw this because I know liberals who are offended by the term "PC" just as much as some right-wingers. (Language is fascinating.)
Anyway, this is a fascinating book, and if you're interested in advertising, I highly recommend reading this.
I took one star off because each chapter could have had an introduction and/or a summary at the end to put them into greater context. Also, the images were scanned in and the text is often unreadable.
It's a quick read, but it is disturbing. Be prepared to be shocked. I can see this being used in academic settings, but it's engaging for nonacademic readers.
The title does point out that the ads in it are sexist, racist, creepy, and tasteless. This is not a "fun" coffee table book.
As someone who's worked in communications for several decades, I would have loved to have had my hands on this when I was a college student.
March 9, 2019
An interesting summary of ads from the past. Some funny, some “out there” and in today’s world some are clearly offensive.
The book itself I think is a bit “out of date” thought, there are several websites on the net that have made it a habit to collect these old ads and regularly update it. But if you want something to “quickly show people”, this def. works.
The book itself I think is a bit “out of date” thought, there are several websites on the net that have made it a habit to collect these old ads and regularly update it. But if you want something to “quickly show people”, this def. works.
February 6, 2022
Lots of fun
These old ads are astonishing! I had lots of fun looking at them, remembering some of them, and shaking my head over the absurdity of many of them. I also wonder which of today's ads will seem so outrageous in the future. Advertising changes, but not necessarily for the better.
These old ads are astonishing! I had lots of fun looking at them, remembering some of them, and shaking my head over the absurdity of many of them. I also wonder which of today's ads will seem so outrageous in the future. Advertising changes, but not necessarily for the better.
August 28, 2020
Wow!
While some of these ads are difficult to read they show how far we have come as a nation. Good job collecting them. They provide great information for research or for personal information.
While some of these ads are difficult to read they show how far we have come as a nation. Good job collecting them. They provide great information for research or for personal information.
January 15, 2019
Came across this while weeding. Pure fun.
June 5, 2020
Hindsight.
May 24, 2021
YIKES. I spent this whole book cringing, laughing or gasping, and yet it was so addicting to read. I seriously cannot believe what was actually considered "appropriate" back in the day.
March 3, 2024
Interesting to see some of the old ads, thankfully times have changed!
January 2, 2022
Not much of a book. The most horrifying, unforgivable aspect is that under racist ads, in addition to the expected Aunt Jemima ads are replicas of “slave” auction ads. No additional comment is made by the editors. Of little value.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews