[sotd] June 25, 2004 [Gallery of Regrettable Food: Ads]
- From: "The Site of the Day" <sotd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: sotd@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:01:24 -0300
Site of the Day for Friday, June 25, 2004
Gallery of Regrettable Food: Ads
Today's site, from journalist and trenchant observer of the American recent
past, James Lileks, offers an irresistible collection of ads from magazines
of the 1940's and '50's. Gentle Subscribers are warned to be careful with
their beverages while perusing these images annotated in Lileks'
irrepressible style.
"When you look through the ads of old magazines, you're struck by the
cheer, the bright bravado, the incessant effervescent brio that fizzes from
every page. Even the sad people look happy. We sometimes mistake these
images as proof that the past was a happier time, a time of Innocence. ...
That is, of course, nonsense. The ability to decode ads isn't something the
Irony Age invented; 50 years ago, people were well aware that orgasmic glee
did not result from a new fridge purchase, or that women swished around the
house doing chores in pearls. ... Nevertheless, there is something charming
about these old ads - heavy with text, lovingly drawn, patriotic and
All-American, devoted to convenience, and above all, steadfast in their
service to Regrettable Food." - from the website
The site features a judicious selection of ads from well-known food and
appliance companies, which paint an indelible image of America in
mid-century. From supermarkets to canned meat, these ads harken back to an
age seemingly more optimistic and simpler than our own.
Lileks on a Borden's ad featuring "Elsie": "Never underestimate a cow who
can knit with her hooves."
Glide to the site for a nostalgic and amusing look at American life through
advertising at:
http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/ads/index.html
A.M. Holm
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