All-American Ads of the 60s

by Jim Heimann

FROM FORGOTTEN CARS SUCH AS THE DODGE DART, TO CIGARETTES ("THIS CHRISTMAS GIVE CARTONS OF LUCKIES") TO FOOD (MMM! TV DINNERS!) AND MUCH MORE, THIS COLORFUL COLLECTION OF PRINT ADS EXPLORES THE WIDE, WONDERFUL WORLD OF 60s AMERICANA.

Genres: Art, Coffee Table Books, Pop Culture, Design, Photography, Nonfiction, Art Design

960 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau]

Before 1963 America seemed to be on a steady course...setting the example of democracy for the rest of the world to follow. With the assassination of JFK and the arrival of the Beatles everything changed. You can see this reflected in the ads of the 60's - there is a definite 'break' after 1964. From a sociological perspective I do not think that you could find another decade where this 'break' is so pronounced - perhaps a sign of what was Blowin' in the Wind on the plain of dissent that would end with Altamont.

[Esther]

60s collection.

[SAMUrai]

fuck capitalism but there a a lot of banger designs and you can really see how racism, sexism and red scare were part of the advertisment of a lot of american products

[Steven Peterson]

This is a companion piece to the volume focusing on ads in the 1950s. In one sense, it's a real blast! Reliving the ads from that decade takes me back to my high school and college years. The volume begins with a (too brief) introduction of two pages. This begins to place the ads in context, but somewhat more detailed treatment would have been welcome.

The heart of the book, of course, is the ads. At the outset are automobile ads, featuring such lines as Cadillac (oh, the fins on the cars from the early 1960s!), Pontiac, Plymouth, Mustang, Studebaker (yes, it was still producing cars in the early 1960s), and the like.

The next section examines Business and Industry. At the start is the IBM Electric typewriter, Burroughs computer (no PCs then!), Bethlehem Steel, Motorola Hi-Fi system, and RCA Victor TV. There is a segment on Entertainment, too. Some of the movies: "The Birds," "Spartacus," and "Romeo and Juliet." Music? The Doors and Led Zeppelin. Fashion and Beauty? Lip-stick, cotton clothing, and Orlon (by DuPont). Food and Beverage ads. . . . Diet Imperial Margarine, Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, Tang, and Libby's cream corn.

Lots of fun reliving the marketing approach and look of the 1960s.

[TrumanCoyote]

The ads were great. However, the editorial content veered from annoying to incomprehensible (the blurbs on the sectional "winners," for example). If you wish to celebrate creative, stylish and nicely whimsical ad campaigns, by all means do so; if on the other hand, your preference is to be a nattering nabob, go teach a seminar at the JC (along with all the rest of those types).

[Themistocles]

Fantastic, like the whole series...

[Naomi]

Since popular culture proves one of my favorite subjects of study, this was (and is) fascinating. These advertisements provide a first-hand testament to the zeitgeist of the '60s...and what a privilege it is for readers to be reminded of that portion of the American story.

[Erika Mulvenna]

Looking back at this enormous volume of American advertising is a great little window on the America of the 1960's!

[Violeta]

Looking at ads of decades past feels like time travel. The Taschen books of All- American Ads from the 50s to the 90s are displaying thousands of print ads for cars, travel, food, liquor, cigarettes, movies, appliances, furniture, technology and most everything defining 20th century consumer history. A history that, although not as important as History itself, speaks volumes about the way people lived and behaved back in the day.

Granted, the ads represent a jazzed-up image of the past, since products must be linked with some kind of elation in order to sell. But they are fun to look at and they’re enlightening, as much in what they choose to show as in what they deliberately omit. They speak of their times in a way that isn’t interested in right or wrong, only in capturing the zeitgeist of the moment. They are therefore more straightforward than any post-dated analysis tainted by a contemporary point of view. The conclusions are left to their viewers…

Not that you pore over the colorful pages of these books; you simply let the tone of the ads wash over and carry you back in time. Every now and then you can’t help lingering on one or another and marvel/laugh/cringe at the imaginativeness/stylishness/quaintness of the image or text. And that’s what advertising, past and present, is all about.
Hope you have as much fun with them as I had!

Americana in Full Bloom
To the moon and back with advertising in the 1960s.
As America transitioned from the Eisenhower years to a decade of extremes, the ‘60s couldn’t help but exude optimism and promise as the country continued to display an unbridled economic future. The advertisements of this era expressed these go-go years, when rock and roll reigned supreme and man reached the moon. Just around the corner societal changes would spark a revolution.


Smirnoff, 1966


Lucky Strike, 1966


Cadillac, 1962


Volkswagen, 1960


ABC, 1969


Hagstrom Guitars, 1967


My Sin by Lanvin, 1969


Clairol, 1968


Campbell’s Soup, 1965


Howard Johnson’s, 1962


Tupperware, 1962


Kal Kan Dog Food, 1963


Kelvinator, 1965


Motorola, 1963


Braniff Airlines, 1966


Boeing 747, 1969

Back to the 1950s (under construction)/ On to the 1970s

[Lew]

A great nostalgic trip through the 60's for someone who grew up in the sixties.

[Lily H]

Cool little collection

[Donna]

Feeds my hunger for midcentury stuff AND old ads. Gorgeous gorgeous book.

[Presley Acuna]

Very interesting to see how American Design Sense and the sense of humor and irony in advertising evolved through the 20th century. Also neat to see the Space Age encroach our society via these ads.

[Albert]

Ad selection is great - but the added commentary is shallower than my empty bathtub. It adds no insightful context and reeks of smugness of hindsight.

[Scott Wiener]

These are strange time capsules that are fun to look through.