As McCarthyism swept across the United States and capitalism was king, America enjoyed a feeling of pride and security that was reflected in advertising. Carelessly flooding society with dangerous misinformation, companies in the 50s promoted everything from vacations in Las Vegas, where guests could watch atomic bombs detonate, to cigarettes as healthy mood enhancers, promoted by a baby who claims his mother feels better after she smokes a Marlboro.
From "The World's Finest Automatic Washer" to the Cadillac which "Gives a Man a New Outlook," you'll find a colorful plethora of ads for just about anything money could buy.
"The ads do more than advertise products—they provide a record of American everyday life of a bygone era in a way that nothing else can."
— Associated Press , US
"... time capsules that couldn't be more timely."
— Vogue , US edition
Jim Heimann is a resident of Los Angeles, a graphic designer, writer, historian, and instructor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He is the author of numerous books on architecture, popular culture, and Hollywood history, and serves as a consultant to the entertainment industry.
From "The World's Finest Automatic Washer" to the Cadillac which "Gives a Man a New Outlook," you'll find a colorful plethora of ads for just about anything money could buy.
"The ads do more than advertise products—they provide a record of American everyday life of a bygone era in a way that nothing else can."
— Associated Press , US
"... time capsules that couldn't be more timely."
— Vogue , US edition
Jim Heimann is a resident of Los Angeles, a graphic designer, writer, historian, and instructor at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. He is the author of numerous books on architecture, popular culture, and Hollywood history, and serves as a consultant to the entertainment industry.
