Cure-alls: part one

[blinkytreefrog.livejournal.com]

One of the (few?) good things about ads nowadays is that there are laws that at least try to prevent advertising agencies from making outright lies about their products. There was no need to worry about that in the good old days! You could claim that your products could do anything and cure any malady, even if it was blatantly clear that this was complete bull!

For example:



Worried about the flu? Drink alcohol! This will clearly work!

Still feeling under the weather? Well, obviously, you need to eat more of the most important food group:



And after this, if for some strange reason you find yourself putting on more than you planned, just do what all fat folk do:



My favourite thing about this one isn't the over-the-top claims though, it's this bizarre little phrase buried in one of the paragraphs:

"Do not be afraid of evil consequences"

Note that it doesn't deny that there are evil consequences. You just shouldn't be afraid of them *nods*.

Comments

[wrongsidefoxrun.livejournal.com]

FAT FOLK" the diet pill's back then normally where Tape worm eggs and yes while it did slim you down it allso could kill.

[roeskva]

http://www.tapewormdiet.net/index.html WTF?!

[franklanguage.livejournal.com]

Even more recently, though: The Tapeworm Diet on the Tyra Banks Show (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/12/tyra-banks-show-tapeworm-diet.html)

[wonderwonder.livejournal.com]

and tyra is usually so careful to select only the most highly educated guests! she really is letting things slide.

[bernthewitch.livejournal.com]

Amazing. Nicely structured too (for your post).

"Registered by Government". Ooh MUST work then huh!

And I love how in all of these older ads, it's "reducing" not "losing" weight.

[blinkytreefrog.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And hey, if you can't trust the governments of the world, who can you trust? :-)

[1girl.livejournal.com]

I like that the candy ad just concludes that the entire "fats and sugars" part of your diet should be comprised of candy.

[franklanguage.livejournal.com]

Works for me!

[blinkytreefrog.livejournal.com]

*nods* I don't see a problem!

[emmuzka.livejournal.com]

I love that candy ad! Candy is food! Candy for slimming down! Candy for nutrients and protein! Candy for fuel! Candy is a part of a balanced diet! Candy candy candy!

And then: "Above statements approved by Dr. Herman R. Bundsen". Who did you expect? Ministry of Health and Welfare?

[crabofdoom.livejournal.com]

In the space of one ad, 'candy' has now become one of those words I've heard so much that it's stopped making sense.

[elgoose.livejournal.com]

"Getting Fleshier Every Day"

Could it be because she exists on Dewar's and candy?

[blinkytreefrog.livejournal.com]

That's clearly just a coincidence!

[angstzeit.livejournal.com]

I'm not really sure things are better today.

[1girl.livejournal.com]

For one thing, health care would be a hell of a lot cheaper if we just boozed our problems away. Hey President Obama, I just overhauled healthcare for you! You're welcome.

[kip-w.livejournal.com]

So many candy choices! Lemon drop? Licorice pipe? I think I'll just have that #2 pencil sticking out of the bottom of the pile.

[dandyads]

I love pro-candy ads, definitely my favorite type of vintage ads.

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

My father always swore that whisky in hot milk stopped his colds before they started, and he certainly didn't get many. But then he could have just had good natural resistance.

[stefanie-bean.livejournal.com]

Candy's dandy, but liquor's quicker ...