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The ads have been around for a while. And there are some really really weird vintage ads. We’ve made various ad compilations over the years, that’s a new one. Because, as they say, in order to know your future you should know your past. Well, the past is quite strange. But advertising has never been trivial and these 6 awesome vintage weird ads prove it.
1. Knorr Soup – So good you go schloup!
Why: once you’ve seen it it’s hard to unsee. Apparently, Knorr thought that having a commercial with the aesthetics of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a great idea. But it’s the 80s and everything went. Just reading the YouTube comments from the people that have actually witnessed the ad on TV makes you realize how much damage it has done to the innocent minds of kids (and adults). That’s one of those retro weird vintage ads that is a golden fund of creepy commercials.
Seriously, why would a dirty scarecrow want to break into your house to have a Knorr soup? We may never know the answer.
2. Liquid Prell Shampoo – Isle of Green
Why: weird vintage ads come and go, but this one stays in your nightmares. The camera rolls into the green shampoo bottle and suddenly you’re in a sort of an enchanted forest with three James Bond girl-looking vixens luring you to buy it. The 70s were the years of cults and this ad definitely has a chunk of this hypnotic, vicious energy.
It’s also the way they talk that gives you uneasy chills with cold sweat dripping down your spine. Ok, we’re buying the Liquid Prell Shampoo, just don’t induce a curse on us!
3. PSA Commercial with Joanna Cassidy – Smokey the Bear
Why: this one starts like a regular PSA but something tells you it will go bonkers at some point. So you’re tense, listening carefully to what Joanna Cassidy of Blade Runner fame has to say about being careful in the American forests.
As the camera gets closer to her face you sense something bad to happen to the actress. And you’re right, there was no Joanna Cassidy, it was Smokey the Bear talking to you all along disguised as the famous actress. Mind. Blown.
4. My Little Puppy
Why: it’s all colorful and cheerful in the beginning. A new puppy comes into a family, plays with kids, and does his fun dog stuff. It’s a great atmosphere of joy and friendship. That doesn’t last long, though. After a series of misdemeanors (like messing with things and pissing on the floor), the tables turn on poor little puppy. He’s not welcome here anymore.
The father takes a black bag, puts the puppy in it, and throws the little dog in the river to die under the bridge. Trauma? Definitely. Weird, disturbing, and straightforwardly mean. Although it does teach a lesson and that’s what good ads should do. Just, please, don’t include the footage of killing a fluffy puppy by drowning.
5. Coca-Cola – Coke keeps you thin
Why: one of the top weird vintage ads of the 60s, Coke’s commercial is a chaotic manifesto that didn’t quite age well. The classic Hollywood actress Connie Clausen recites lines as if she was kidnapped to a creepy room with a mannequin and is held at the gunpoint.
We’re graced with such pearls as “no more calories than half a grapefruit”, “Coke’s a natural wholesome blending of pure food flavors”, and “isn’t it great that sugar doesn’t have any fat in it”. Overall, it’s a sign of the times and generally a pleasant commercial to look at.
6. McDonald’s – Ronald McDonald introduction
Why: believe it or not, there was a time when Ronald McDonald hasn’t been created yet. This weird vintage ad introduced the world to this clown symbol. Does he look terrifying? Absolutely. If you want more terror try watching the ad without sound.
Still, you have to pay some respect too. It was a turning point for McDonald’s and an event that changed the branding forever. If you are afraid of the clown, it’s definitely an ad to avoid at all costs. We warned you.
