Tag Archives: brands

He just remembered he was supposed to be playing poker with the boys.

1956 ad from the Cigar Institute of America, Inc.
1956 ad from the Cigar Institute of America, Inc.

Trivia: A skilled male cigar roller is called a torcedor.

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“Don’t cough, Junior. My cigar’s smoke makes your stupid toy train more authentic.”

1956 ad from the Cigar Institute of America, Inc.
1956 ad from the Cigar Institute of America, Inc.

Trivia: “Close, but no cigar.” Its origin comes from being screwed over by a carnie. As for “Give that man a cigar,” same place but with a happy ending.

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What? No.

Section from a larger print ad for Crisco, circa 1927
Section from a larger print ad for Crisco, circa 1927.

Wife: “Honey? Do we have any blindfolds?”

Hubs: “I don’t think so, except for the special one. Will that work?”

Wife: “Yes. Would you be a dear and fetch it for me?”

Hubs: [from bedroom] “What about the handcuffs?”

Wife: “Maybe later.”

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You don’t meet many girls named Lucretia these days.

Bottom portion from a larger ad for Lucretia Vanderbilt, circa 1929.
Bottom portion from a larger ad for Lucretia Vanderbilt, circa 1929.

Strange story, this Lucretia Vanderbilt.

It’s got everything!

Astrology!
Italian cheeses!
Alter egos!
Guitars!
Human hair fraud!
Bootleg liquor!
Pre-arrest suicide!
Belgian war heroes!
And butterflies!

Stefon would be jealous.

Check out the history of Lucretia Vanderbilt here, along with its rather wonderful first paragraph that sets the tone beautifully.

In Alan Jenkins’ very readable ‘The Twenties’, his second chapter is titled ‘Let’s Do It!’. “Do what?” he asked, well… “Practically anything you can get away with. Dance. Make love. Sing. Laugh. Make money. Lose money. Drink. Fly. Smash something.”, he wrote.

I got a fever!

Pacman (Pac-Man) for the Atari 2600 ad from DC’s Detective Comics #518 (September 1982)
Pacman (Pac-Man) for the Atari 2600 ad from DC’s Detective Comics #518 (September 1982)

Fun facts: Even though it totally sucked compared to the arcade version, over seven million Atari 2600 cartridges of Pac-Man were sold.

It was a 4KB ROM cartridge.

The highest possible score for the arcade version of Pac-Man is 3,333,360 points.

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The Snow Job

Ad for Thin Gillettes (I forgot to mark the date.)
Ad for Thin Gillettes (I forgot to mark the date.)

The railroad version of a rotary plow is pretty badass. Imagine shaving with that puppy.
See one in action on Donner Pass.
Yep, that Donner.

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The Corsican’s Camera

Ad for the Olympus 35EC

The Olympus 35EC was introduced in 1969.

Napoléon Bonaparte was introduced in 1769.

And then there’s the small matter of Napoleon’s penis, currently residing in New Jersey.

“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” — Napoleon

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“Heavens! Why are you two chaps so keen to see me partake in this particular effervescent beverage with a curious aroma of chloral hydrate?”

Coca-Cola ad from the June 12, 1926 issue of The Literary Digest
Coca-Cola ad from the June 12, 1926 issue of The Literary Digest

Before he formulated Coca-Cola, did you know Doc Pemberton sold a wine & cocaine precursor based on Vin Mariani in France? Also, he was a morphine addict.

“He called it Pemberton’s French Wine Coca and marketed it as a panacea. Among many fantastic claims, he called it ‘a most wonderful invigorator of sexual organs.'”

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Let’s get baked.

1973 comic book ad for  Kenner Betty Crocker Easy-Bake Oven
1973 comic book ad for  Kenner Betty Crocker Easy-Bake Oven

The toy that also taught us about second- and third-degree burns.

Q: If two 60-watt incandescent light bulbs take 12 minutes to bake a cake, how long would it take LED bulbs?

A: 0 minutes. Just throw it in the microwave.

Fun Fact: Kenner sold half a million ovens in the first year (1963).

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A decade before Brooke Shields said — “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” — there was this.

1971 ad for Landlupper
From the December 1971 issue of Evergreen Review

According to the Vintage Fashion Guild, Landlubber was “THE cool jeans to wear” in the 1970s.

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