advertisements Archives - The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

Apr252019 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

Retrotisements — 1979 Station Wagons

Retrotisements

For my latest gallery of vintage car ads I'm going to focus on one particular segment, in this case it's station wagons from the 1979 model year. Having never owned one I can't speak to the experience of what it's like, but I always crack a smile whenever I see a classic family truckster still on the road. So in the spirit of old school station wagons, let's take a look from what was hot off the assembly line 40 years ago from a sampling of American and foreign automakers. Chrysler The seventh-generation Town & Country was in its second year as the mid-sized LeBaron wagon. It had formerly been the company's full-size station wagon. Pontiac The 1979 Safaris were available in several trim packages. This ad highlights the mid-size Grand LeMans Safari and the full-size ...

Jul292018 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

Retrotisements: Back to School Edition, Part 3

Retrotisements

Yes, it's nearly that time of year that all kids dread and all adults love -- Back to School! And so I'm back for a third time with a set of vintage advertisements that will either appeal to you or drive you mad. Either way, I hope you enjoy!

Oct32017 by Chris Holmes2 Comments

The Revenge of Halloween Retrotisements!

Retrotisements

By my count this will be at least the third gallery of vintage Halloween advertisement I've shared here, although it's been a long time since the last one. So let's scare up a good time by checking out some spooky ads from years gone by!

Aug12017 by Chris Holmes1 Comment

Retrotisements: Back to School Edition, Part 2

Retrotisements

One thing that stinks about being an adult is that I don't get summers off anymore. One thing that rules about being an adult is I don't have to deal with the looming threat of Back to School time. So you see, now I can look at vintage back-to-school advertisements with joy and amusement, not dread. And now you can too. Enjoy!

Apr192017 by Chris Holmes3 Comments

Retrotisements: The Early Days of Kentucky Fried Chicken

Retrotisements

One of the many things that makes Kentucky Fried Chicken unique in fast food history is that its growth as a powerhouse franchise was not quite as direct as, say, McDonald's. For one thing, the chain began not as a dedicated franchise location but rather as a menu of items out of a regular restaurant. In this case, KFC was essentially born in a pair of motels/restaurants in Asheville, North Carolina and Corbin, Kentucky. Colonel Harland Sanders, who owned both in the 1930s, rebuilt his Corbin location as a motel with a 140-seat restaurant after a fire struck in late 1939. Here is a June 1940 newspaper ad for the Sanders Court & Café, published in the Asheville Citizen Times. Note how there is no reference to chicken: The first Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise opened on Septem...

Apr122017 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

Retrotisements — A Year in the Life (1967)

Retrotisements

In past ad galleries I've typically stuck with a particular theme or product, such as holiday-themed ads or new car lineups. I'm going to try something new and product an ad gallery from a single year, covering a wide range or products and services. Basically, a sort of visual shorthand to see what someone would've seen in print or TV ads in a particular year. Think of this as a virtual department store of sorts. For the first edition I thought I'd travel back exactly 50 years to 1967. Let's browse! Automobiles Consumer Electronics Entertainment Fashion Food and Beverage Health and Beauty Household Goods Travel

Sep32016 by Chris Holmes1 Comment

For Labor Day, Enjoy Some Canned Hamburger!

Retrotisements

I don't know about you, but there comes a point when convenience goes too far, and things just get weird. Case in point: This 1950 advertisement for Swift's Premium Canned Hamburgers, which purports to "take the labor out of the Labor Day Week End." But hey, as gross as the prospect of eating preformed meat out of a can may be, at least you can send in that coupon and get a sweet sandwich toaster for just 50 cents!

Jun182016 by Chris HolmesNo Comments

For Father’s Day, Edgeworth Pipe Tobacco (1947)

Retrotisements

Happy Father's Day from The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit and from the fine people who bring you Edgeworth Pipe Tobacco! It's Dad who tends the furnace, it's Dad who mows the law, And it's Dad who pushes off to work before the crack o' dawn... It's Dad who carries bundles. And it's Dad who has to pay, Let's give Dad the FINEST! for his pipe on FATHER'S DAY!

Apr272016 by Chris Holmes3 Comments

Brochure Beauties #5: Pacific Telephone Colorphones

Ephemera

This lovely brochure comes from Pacific Telephone, and advertises their line of extension colorphones. There's no date on this one, but I think 1960s is a reasonable guess. The front of the brochure features a delightful mid-century color palette that definitely predates the earth tones of the '70s. Perhaps someone more versed in commercial artwork of the period can figure out a more precise date range? Pacific's full name at the time of this brochure was The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, by which they were known until 1983. That's the year they moved from their parent company, AT&T, to one of the many new Baby Bells formed in the wake of the former company's breakup, Pacific Telesis. Today, the company once known as Pacific Telephone operates as the Pac...