Women go gaga over the smell of a newborn baby but in the 1970s, a cosmetics company wanted people to believe the scent made men crazy too – for an entirely different reason.
This ad for Baby Soft body mist insists “innocence is sexier than you think” – creepy. But it’s not the only retro ad that would raise eyebrows today.
Baby teething? Give it cocaine. What’s the one thing no toddler can be without? A gun. What’s twice as good as twins? Twins wrapped in cellophane.
Here are some of the most egregious retro children’s ads.
This 1970s fragrance ad would not be allowed today.
If they think this girl is ‘chubby’, 1970s ad execs would be horrified by kids today.
What’s better than twins? Twins wrapped in cellophane or course!
It’s never to early to start shaving, according to Gillette.
‘Papa says it won’t hurt us’.
Teething child? There was only one logical answer in 1914: cocaine.
Worried your baby isn’t getting enough harmful UV light?
Babies selling cigarettes.
This cough syrup from 1841 contained opium.
Want your kid to live for 100 years? In the 1940s that meant cigarettes and lots of them.
Don’t know what to feed your newborn? 1941 says sugar!
How can you stop your baby crying? Cigarettes of course!
‘TV can improve marks!’ Today’s kids would probably appeciate this ad campaign.
Forget nappies – just wrap your baby’s bum in plastic.
Cigarettes – something high on every 1940s child’s Christmas list.
What’s better than breast milk? Milk out of a can of course!
Today beer is for adults only. In 1907 it was the perfect drink for young and old.
How do you dress a ‘chubby’ child? In chubby-size clothes of course!
Want a cigarette that is gentle like a baby?
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