A look at some car ads from 1959

How times have changed

Amanda M posted in Technik
1y ago
9.8K

About a week ago, I won an eBay auction for a copy of "LIFE" magazine from 1959 to add to a little collection of mine. When I flipped through it the first time, I was ecstatic over all the car advertisements throughout the pages. All I want to do today is share these with you in hopes that you appreciate them as much as I did.

Not all ads are for cars only. Some of for car related products, such as tires. The pictures are incredible, and even the format of the ads themselves are intriguing. If you notice, there is an abundance of verbiage. In 1959, it is obvious how companies tried to sell their products through detailed and exaggerated descriptions. These days, I challenge you to find a single advertisement with even a few sentences. Ads today are focused on attractive imagery and a simple, yet memorable slogan.

Let's see how car ads were back in 1959! We'll begin with car-specific ads, and then get to the products.

This Mercury Monterey convertible purred with a "special Economy V-8"

This Mercury Monterey convertible purred with a "special Economy V-8"

This Buick was named "Best Looking Car of the Year" in 1959 by Motor Trend magazine.

This Buick was named "Best Looking Car of the Year" in 1959 by Motor Trend magazine.

According to this ad, when you bought this land yacht Pontiac, your woman would think you're "intellectually thoughtful" & she would want to help pick out the colors and fabrics. Cringe.

According to this ad, when you bought this land yacht Pontiac, your woman would think you're "intellectually thoughtful" & she would want to help pick out the colors and fabrics. Cringe.

Shall I attempt to mail in for the booklet?

Shall I attempt to mail in for the booklet?

"New Olds Feeling"

"New Olds Feeling"

Here are some print ads for auto-related products

The picture in this "spin-resistant differential" print is quite pretty. You must appreciate the artwork that went in to some of these.

The picture in this "spin-resistant differential" print is quite pretty. You must appreciate the artwork that went in to some of these.

Gulf station, another picturesque ad.

Gulf station, another picturesque ad.

Does anyone wax their car anymore as part of their normal cleaning and protection routine?

Does anyone wax their car anymore as part of their normal cleaning and protection routine?

You can sit up straight in this De Soto, "even wearing a hat!". Also, 18 models seems a bit excessive at once.

You can sit up straight in this De Soto, "even wearing a hat!". Also, 18 models seems a bit excessive at once.

A great Firestone tire ad, featuring an old-school Daytona race.

A great Firestone tire ad, featuring an old-school Daytona race.

Bob Hope with his Buick, endorsing these spark plugs. You don't see ads for car parts anymore, do you?

Bob Hope with his Buick, endorsing these spark plugs. You don't see ads for car parts anymore, do you?

The last one - in case you felt like reading a novel.

The last one - in case you felt like reading a novel.

Which of these ads caught your eye first?

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Comments (10)

  • This was a great article. 1959 was about the time that my auto awareness was birthed. Most important thing your article reminded me of was artwork. Back then advertisements where works of art and not computer generated or modified photography. Genuine artistic talent.

    (By the way, Bob Hope was in his Heyday at that point and I just wonder how much it cost them for him to be in that commercial, lol)

      1 year ago
    • I was wondering the same about Hope. Haha

        1 year ago
    • I'm glad you enjoyed this, Jc! Yes, the ads were so beautiful back then from what I've seen. The rest of the magazine has so much more too (not car related). I watched a video recently about movie backdrops, and how they were all the HUGE...

      Read more
        1 year ago
  • That was the time Americans made the best cars in the World.

    While the Euros were labouring in pos's DKW's and Kadettes, the Americans were wafting along in big Buicks, Olds', Pontiacs, and Caddies.

    Long gone are such days, sadly will never return.

    That said, the Mustang is still there, so are the Hellcats, so is the Vette.

      1 year ago
    • Americans definitely had some enormous cars back then. But it was a time when road travel was at it's peak too, and people needed the comfort of a big vehicle. I think the reason a lot of Europe had smaller cars is because they had smaller...

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        1 year ago
    • I know, I know, I was born in Europe and lived there for 15 years.

      Though, every time an American car drove by our jaws dropped and eyes bulged; huge things with gigantic, brightly lit tail lamps .

      I remember in one case one windshield wiper on...

      Read more
        1 year ago
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