Advertising – Page 3 – I Don't Get It

“It’s Swell To Get Camels Again”

You’ve probably never heard the name, Jerry Ambler. As you can see in this 1947 ad, he was a bronc-riding star, winning the North American Saddle Bronc title in 1941 and 1946. Born in Alberta, Canada, Ambler became the best of the best. The Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame Jerry’s asserts that his greatest achievement came in 1946 when he was declared the World’s Champion Saddle Bronc Rider. Though the ad seems to imply his experience with off brand smokes was during service in WWII, I find no record of military service, only rodeo competitions. Perhaps simply the rationing of cigarettes was enough to make him long for Camels.

As often happens with spokespersons in these post-war Camel ads, they pass from cancer. Ambler did not. A car accident took his life at the age of 47. Let’s hope that during those years, the Camels pleased his T-Zone and took the edge of a long day in the saddle. As the years pass by, fewer and fewer of us remember how important the T-Zone was back in the day.

Our collective perception of cigarettes has changed so much since this ad was published, when doctors both smoked and endorsed cigarettes.

Cigarette sales peaked in 1981, and have been falling ever since. In a world of manufactured viruses and death by Grand Canyon selfies, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death, and these ads remain an interesting testimony of the world that was.

Gifts For Dad For 2021

An era of subtlety, the 1950s was not, as evidenced by these Cutter Cravat artist originals. Frankly, it’s difficult to interpret what the patterns actually were. We have words for argyle and houndstooth and checkered, but these are littered with sprigs and swirls in bold (and often clashing) colors. What man dare sport the blue one in the center, that splays out at the bottom? It appears to depict an engagement ring.

Note how wide one appears against the lapel of this jacket. A bold and festive statement. Would you dare?

Prince Ali, Fabulous He

Okay, let’s unpack this post-war ad for White Rock. We’ve got a trio of businessmen in straw boater hats and a Middle Eastern prince whose head has turned toward the topless fairy/cocktail waitress. Remember, somebody had to pitch this idea to White Rock, and White Rock said, “Absolutely, it’s a go.”

Then somebody said, “Let’s use ‘by the beard of the prophet‘ because that’s what Muslims say.” And they did. And it’s wonderful. Here’s some context.

And doesn’t Psyche looks smug? She knows she’s all that and a bag of chips–and a barrel of oil. Plus, she has the courage to use terms like “bracing alkaline tang.” Yum! That’s how I like my water.

Though she may have been coy, suddenly she’s (how you say) riding high with Ali. The artwork makes you wonder if she’s wearing a sheer halter or going completely topless. All we know is no matter how many gang signs he flashes, she most certainly will not share his throne.

And stay on the label, she did. In fact, White Rock purchased the rights to a painting titled “Psyche at Nature’s Mirror” by Paul Thumann at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, and it’s now the longest running beverage logo. Cheers!

Terrier Tends To Terrain

No doubt about it, those ads in the back of vintage college yearbooks are odd. But who can ignore this dandied-up pooch? Not me.

Some ads have state embodiments to catch your eye like Old Man Texas here.

Texas Power & Light does them one better with its intricate artwork.

Some ads are so simple, that they’re barely there.

Some hardly make a lick of sense.

And some conjure up the devil himself!

Timber!

Today we take a trip back to June of 1972. The image above is the cover art of my Betty and Veronica from the Archie series. However, it doesn’t seem to reflect summer at all. Note the brown leaf on the ground. It reads more like a back-to-school issue.

Obviously, when I started collecting Archies as a child, I had no notion of female objectification, and was clueless to the rampant innuendo in the comics. All I knew is I liked the artwork, teenagers were cool, and they had style. In fact, if nothing else, Archie magazines reflect the style of the times. I mean, how much shorter could Veronica’s mini skirt get? She had a wardrobe malfunction nearly 50 years ago. Plus, we get a bonus shot of a coiffed hairstyle and checkerboard collar. Yay, 70s!

For a fashion-focused lass like myself, Betty seemed the height of fashion in her mushroom blouse and patchwork pockets.

In fact, patches were de rigueur for males as well. Archie forfeited his time with Veronica, in order to have Betty sew patches on his army jacket. Note two things you rarely see these days: a woman sewing and a TV with legs.

So while you may not count me among the comic book nerds of The Big Bang Theory, I do assert the value of comics in reflecting the current times. (They were a’changing.) Dig Archie’s groovy stripes and denim vest. Right on!

I’ll Salt Your Popcorn

In Douglass Crockwell’s “Winter Evening At Home,” we see that Dad has just finished popping popcorn over the coals of the fire, and Mary has offered a pan of it to be salted by her beau. Everyone is enjoying a chilled glass of ale. What a fun after-dinner treat while they watch Arthur Godfrey. But what’s got Dad so forlorn? Is it because Mary is growing up so fast, and this is her last winter at home before she moves to Michigan to attend university? Is it because his right arm is sore from holding the pan off the ground, and he doesn’t have the energy to pour it into the bowl? He ought to be proud, since he clearly didn’t burn even one kernel. Quite a feat, Dad! Maybe he’s rethinking that low profile carpet and wishing they’d gone with a plush.

Or is it because Doris isn’t here to witness any of it, and she so loved popcorn? Why, that was her chair, only 14 inches off the ground because she was so petite. She even sewed the seat cover. But what a firecracker, that Doris! Remember how Dad was so reluctant to wear the vest she gave him for Father’s Day because he said yellow was too “showy”? Now he regrets his words. Goldenrod isn’t showy; it’s just right. It’s the color of popcorn and beer and wintertime cheer. And Mary’s hair color! So let’s all raise a glass to yellow!

Keep ‘Em Shining With Shinola White

Looks like Pat Boone should have used Shinola White on his signature shoes. Why so scuffed? Looks like he just left the coalmine.

Post-War Pig Insecurities

What could be sadder than Prolon-induced pig anxiety? Perhaps hooves clutching a wishbone of a fellow creature? Who cares? Hitler is dead!

All of today’s ads come to us from the summer of 1946, when the country was just beginning to get back on her feet. The war was in the past, and so was hog bristle. In this new age, science was the winner, and pigs vs prophylactic Prolon made good copy.

But not as good as a head of youthful, vibrant, slick hair that caught a young lady’s eye. Watch as his locks emanate vitality.

*Good night, nurse! He could inspect my rigging any day.*

And speaking of crushes, why not try Orange Crush, filled with the juice of tree-ripened Valencia oranges? Yes, that’s right. Actual juice in the bottle, as well as pulp!

Not a fan of orange? Then pause to refresh with Hires. Cheers to silly puns! Now let me dig, woman.

Not a soda person? Maybe a Bloody Mary is in your future. Make it sing with A-1, the dash that makes the dish!

After all that imbibing, it’s time to wind down, head to the parlor, and listen to some Big Band on the Crosley radio. Perhaps make room for a cooling after-dinner mint. Everyone’s heard of Richardson’s mints. U-All-No!

Kills pests and you, too

I’m sorry, what? Did you just say “won’t harm humans”? That’s right, folks. Our friend DDT was approved by the FDA in 1945 as safe, safe, safe. And we believed them because the FDA was supposed to research and vet and do all its due diligence. But sometimes, you have to wait years for awful, carcinogenic side effects to creep up. And they did! The FDA waited until 1972 to put the ix-nay on it. So maybe think twice next time the government mandates/forces/strongly encourages you to trust the FDA, especially if they’re in a hurry.

At least it killed silverfish, like it promised.

Companies don’t often know exactly what they’re peddling, and collateral damage happens. Just remember, no entity or person (despite funding the NIH and Wuhan lab) has all the answers. Some things take years to uncover.

Let’s just be happy that the FDA does eventually recall items, often due to “undeclared allergens” but also to being packaged in what appear to be drink containers. Didn’t they know that before they sent them out? It’s important to keep Americans safe. So how often do they recall? Always. In fact, a month doesn’t go by that they don’t recall items. Let’s look at just a portion of what was recalled over three months just this year:

July 2021 FDA Recalls

GENOSYL DS; Nitric Oxide Delivery System has been recalled by Vero Biotech due to software error.
Twelve Lots of CHANTIX® (Varenicline) Tablets have been recalled by Pfizer due to N-Nitroso Varenicline content above ADI level.
NEUTROGENA® and AVEENO® Aerosol Sunscreen Products have been recalled by Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. due to the presence of benzene.
Injectable Semorelin / Ipamorelin 3mg and injectable AOD-9604 3mg have been recalled by Innoveix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. due to a lack of sterility assurance.
LeadCare II, LeadCare Plus, and LeadCare Ultra Blood Lead Tests have been recalled by Magellan Diagnostics, Inc. due to risk of falsely low results.
Lyra SARS-CoV-2 Assay (M120) has been recalled by Quidel due to risk of false negative results.
Angiographic Guidewire Component has been recalled by Medtronic Vascular due to being nonsterile.
One Lot of Topotecan Injection 4 mg/4 mL (1 mg/mL) has been recalled by Teva Pharmaceuticals due to the presence of particulate matter.
Limar Hand Sanitizer Packaged in 4 oz Bottles has been recalled by Ardil Commercial due to being packaged in bottles that resemble drink containers.

June 2021 FDA Recalls

Medical Convenience Kits have been recalled by Avid Medical due to risk of fungal contamination.
Surgical Procedure Packs have been recalled by DeRoyal Industries due to mislabeled lidocaine.
Prairie Wolf Distillery Hand Sanitizer Packed in 16.9 Oz. and 20 Oz Bottles has been recalled by Prairie Wolf Spirits, Inc. due to resembling drink containers.
Durisan Non Alcohol Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer products have been recalled by Sanit Technologies LLC d/b/a Durisan due to microbial contamination.
Jelco Hypodermic Needle-Pro Fixed Needle Insulin Syringes have been recalled by Smiths Medical due to skewed odd-number line graduation markings on syringe barrels.
Philips Bi-Level Positive Airway Pressure (Bi-Level PAP), Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), and mechanical ventilator devices have been recalled by Philips due to potential health risks related to the polyester-based polyurethane (PE-PUR) sound abatement foam component in these devices.
Metformin HCl Extended-Release Tablets, USP 750 mg, have been recalled by Viona Pharmaceuticals Inc. due to the detection of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) impurity.
Innova SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Test has been recalled by Innova Medical Group due to the risk of false test results.
FiberCel Fiber Viable Bone Matrix (“FiberCel”), Donor Lot Number NMDS210011, has been recalled by Aziyo Biologics, Inc. due to possible post-surgical infection.
Alaris Infusion Pump Module 8100 Bezel has been recalled by the Biomed Guys due to possible cracked or separated bezel repair posts.

May 2021 FDA Recalls

SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Test Kit and Leccurate SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Rapid Test Kit (Colloidal Gold Immunochromatography) have been recalled by Lepu Medical Technology due to risk of false results.
Alaris Infusion Pump Module 8100 Bezel >has been recalled by Step-Har Medical due to possible separated bezel repair posts.
Medical Convenience Kits have been recalled by Medical Action Industries, Inc. 306 due to risk of fungal contamination.
VICI VENOUS STENT System and VICI RDS VENOUS STENT System have been recalled by Boston Scientific Corporation due to possible stent migration.
Durisan Non Alcohol Antimicrobial Hand Sanitizer has been recalled by Sanit Technologies LLC d/b/a Durisan due to bacterial contamination.
Assurity™ and Endurity™ Pacemakers have been recalled by Abbott (formally known as “St. Jude Medical”) due to the risk of electrical shortages.
Medically Minded Hand Sanitizer has been recalled by Global Sanitizers due to methanol contamination.
HeartWare HVAD System Instructions for Use and Patient Manual have been recalled by Medtronic to update safety information.
Goose Creek Hand Sanitizer and COCO TKO Hand Sanitizer have been recalled by Scentsational Soaps & Candles, Inc. due to the presence of wood alcohol and other contaminants.
DIBAR Labs Hand Sanitizer has been recalled by Dibar Nutricional S. de R.L. De C.V. due to the presence of wood alcohol, or methanol.
Levemir®, Tresiba®, Fiasp®, Novolog® and Xultophy® product samples have been recalled by Novo Nordisk due to improper storage temperature conditions.
0.5% Bupivacaine Hydrochloride Injection, USP 30 mL and 1% Lidocaine HCl Injection, USP 30 mL, have been recalled by Hospira, Inc. due to product mislabeling.
Sterile Water for Injection, USP, 100 mL, has been recalled by Hospira, Inc. due to the potential presence of particulate matter.

The FDA certainly stays on its toes! Recalling items sounds exhausting.

Thanks to https://mcintyrelaw.com/blog/recent-fda-recall-list for the list.

And thanks to the FDA for recalling DDT.

Category: Advertising