35 Politically Incorrect Historic Advertisements That Will Make You Cringe

Pan American Airways advertisement showing the locations of U.S. soldiers engaged in battles across the world. Published in the Saturday Evening Post, 1941 Duke Library

Pioneer Zephyr Transcontinental diesel-powered trains advertisement in Cosmopolitan Magazine, 1944. Duke Library

Proctor & Gamble Co. advertisement for Ivory Soap Published in Times Newspaper, 1942. Duke Library

Proctor & Gamble Co. Advertisement in Dorothy Hope Smith Magazine for Ivory Soap, published 1927. Duke Library

Pullman Train Company magazine advertisement published in Collier’s, 1952. Duke Library

Sentinel’s Electric or Battery Portable Radio advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post, 1947. Duke Library

“For 59 years known for quality in everything electrical – now Radio” Graybar advertisement published in the Saturday Evening Post, 1928. Duke Library

“The chipped teacup of the Patriotic Mrs. Jones” The War Advertising Council advertising Anti-Inflation methods and frugality, published in Vogue Magazine, 1944. Duke Library

Why America wins Olympics Lever Brothers Company advertisement for Lifebuoy Health Soap published in Ladies’ Home Journal magazine, 1925. Duke Library

Sentinel’s Electric or Battery Portable Radio advertisement in the Saturday Evening Post, 1947. Duke Library

A Wife Can Blame Herself If She Loses Love By Getting Middle-Age Skin Palmolive Company advertisement for Palmolive Soap published in the New York Times, 1938. Duke Library

Advertisement for the Santa Fe System Lines published in the Saturday Evening Post, 1952. Duke Library

Charles of the Ritz advertisement for Revenescence Skin Cream published in Vogue Magazine, 1950. Duke Library

Coty, Inc advertisement for Coty Tanning products published in the New Yorker Magazine, 1929. Duke Library

Lever Brothers Company advertisement for Pepsodent tooth paste published in Look Magazine, 1952. Duke Library

Narragansett Electric Co. advertisement for Fat and Grease published in the Providence Bulletin Newspaper, 1943. Duke Library

Our Government Says- Don’t Waste Food Visking Corporation food advertisement published in Ladies’ Home Journal magazine, 1943. Duke Library

Says Elizabeth Arden–“Begin your care of the skin with correct care of the body” Elizabeth Arden advertisement for Exercise and Skin Treatment, published in the New York Times, 1925. Duke Library