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It’s funny how old commercials can instantly transport you to another era and location. Have you ever seen Ronald McDonald in a TV commercial and begged your parents to take you to McDonald’s? or observing Sweet Giant advertising Green Giant’s green beans and corn in a magazine? If so, you’ll love this walk down memory lane via the best food commercials from the 1940s to the 1990s.
Coke in the 1940s
It’s a frequent misconception that Coca-Cola created the modern-day representation of Santa Claus. As early as 1870, Santa was depicted as a man wearing a red suit. His Christmas advertisements, like this one from 1941, in which he has rosy cheeks and a smile, have helped to enhance his reputation as a sociable person.
Heinz Ketchup in the 1940s
Even in 1942, when this advertisement was printed, Heinz Ketchup was one of the nation’s most popular toppings for hot dogs. The 1896 catchphrase “57 varieties” is still in use today. The number was simply chosen by H. J. Heinz because he believed it sounded lucky; it has nothing to do with how many goods the company sells.
1940s: SPAM
In 1947, Hormel came up with a brilliant idea for a quick and enjoyable method to amuse guests. Slices of “tender-mild, wonderful” SPAM, cheese, relish, lettuce, mayonnaise, pickles, butter, and bread slices were suggested to be stacked on a lazy Susan. In this manner, visitors may fully enjoy the excitement of creating their own meal.
Del Monte Fruit Cocktail, 1950’s
One tin of Del Monte Fruit Cocktail, which was especially well-liked in the 1950s, was frequently used with Jell-O or ready-made sponge in dessert dishes. In this 1951 advertisement, the “Party Fruit Basket” recipe says to hollow out an angel food cake, fill it with fruit cocktail that has been preserved in gelatin, and top it with whipped cream.
Velveeta Cheese Food in the 1950s
This Velveeta Cheese Food advertisement first appeared in Australia in 1951 to promote a brand-new product that could be used in place of cheese and butter. One of its main selling features was that it could be sliced, spread, and melted. It also said that it was a healthy choice for kids, but we’re not sure if that’s true.
1950s: AGA
This cute antique poster from 1952 depicts a mother cat demonstrating an AGA cooker to her kittens (because cats love to sleep next to the warm stove). It covers everything, from the components used in construction to the applications it can be used for, such as fruit preservation and slow cooking of casseroles.
Miracle Aid in the 1950s
An advertisement for Miracle Aid from 1953 states, “As refreshing as fresh fruit.” It was a concentrate made by Curtiss Candy Company that you would mix with water to create drinks with the flavors of orange, strawberry, lemon-lime, raspberry, grape, and cherry.
Green Giant in the 1950s
When this advertisement first appeared in 1953, Green Giant was the brand of choice for millions of American families looking for wholesome vegetables for their meals. Peas, corn, creamed corn, and Mexican-style corn (with red and green peppers) were available choices; all are excellent additions to soups and casseroles.
Sleepy Hollow Syrup, about 1950
In 1955, people chose Sleepy Hollow when looking for something to pour over their waffles. This advertisement brags about how real maple sugar was used to make the syrup and says it goes great with pancakes, waffles, and French toast.
Budweiser in the 1950s
The “King of Beers” slogan, which is still used today, helped make the 1950s a prosperous decade for Budweiser. For a significant portion of the 20th century, it was America’s best-selling beverage thanks to the efforts of its founder, Adolphus Busch, and appealing advertisements like this one from 1956.
Minute Maid Orange Juice in the 1950s
Fresh-frozen Minute Maid Orange juice is a concentrated, frozen juice that comes in a tin and needs to thaw overnight before being combined with water. The “healthful” Vitamin C content of this 1957 advertisement, as well as the fact that you get more for your money than if you squeezed your own oranges at home, are both highlighted.
Hydrox Cookies, 1950s
Sunshine Biscuits created the original Hydrox Cookies, which are virtually identical to Oreos. It states, “Nothing’s in a class with Hydrox, the original,” and features a schoolboy taking a sizable bite out of one.
Betty Crocker’s GingerCake Mix, 1950s
Cake mixes experienced a boom in popularity in the 1950s, and Betty Crocker’s advertising was masterful in appealing to home chefs. It gave readers three tempting dessert recipes that used GingerCake Mix: an orange nut ginger bar, cranberry sparkle gingerbread, and streusel.
Miracle Whip, 1960s
A reduced-fat, more processed type of mayonnaise made by Kraft Foods, Miracle Whip is ideal for spreading on salads and sandwiches. Or to make devilled lettuce, which is a lettuce that has been hollowed out and stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, ham, and vegetables, as shown in this advertisement from 1962.
Diet Pepsi in the 1960s
Coca-Cola Tabs were available before Diet Coke. Diet Pepsi, which was introduced in 1964 and is still available today, competed with Tab. The commercial promised a “leaner look” with the same “Honest-to-Pepsi taste.”
McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish in the 1960s
It’s not everyone’s favorite thing, but it’s a timeless item. In 1965, McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish made its debut on US menus. The sandwich is made up of white fish that has been breaded, American cheese, and tartar sauce. “Fishes that catch” was the tagline.
Pillsbury Poppin’ Fresh Dough, 1960s
The Pillsbury Doughboy, Poppin’ Fresh, the country’s most beloved mascot, was originally featured in this advertisement. The advertisement was selling pre-made dough for making cookies, croissants, and sweet pastries. The inspiration came to the creator as he cracked open a can and pictured Doughboy leaping out.
Jell-O salad gelatin, 1960s
In fact, Jell-O became so widely available in the 1960s that you could even find the celery and mixed vegetable flavors for dressing salads with peppers, cucumbers, carrots, olives, and other ingredients. This was a typical buffet-style savory dish; it wasn’t a dessert. Thankfully, this fad has faded with the passage of time.
Rowntree, Tosca, 1960.
Rowntree’s Tosca, a well-known chocolate bar with layers of cream, caramel, and wafer enrobed in milk chocolate, will always have a special place in Australians’ hearts. The decade in which this advertisement first appeared was the 1960s.
Hamburger Helper in the 1970s
Hamburger Helper, which was founded in 1971, is a box of dried macaroni and powdered sauce that you heat with ground beef to make meals. Beef noodle, chilli tomato, cheeseburger macaroni, rice oriental, hash supper, and potato stroganoff were its first five flavors.
In the 1970s, Kellogg’s Frosties
This Kellogg’s Frosties (known as Sugar Frosted Flakes in the US) advertisement from the 1970s was printed in a British magazine. If children sent in six finished packages of the sweet cereal, they would receive a model airplane kit to make their own plane. Additionally, Tony the Tiger appeared in a retro style.
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