For as long as we’ve had advertisements, babies have been used to sell products. Advertisers understand the power of an infant to promote products. Along with cats and dogs, a baby is a surefire way of getting the interest of the consumer. It doesn’t even have to be about baby products at all, as ‘baby power’ can be shoe-horned into a marketing plan with remarkable success. Below are 5 examples of ads from days gone by that used infants in, well, somewhat peculiar ways. While the world of modern advertising can be weird, they’re nothing compared to the sheer oddness of some of the worst ads with babies we are about to share:
Cigarettes
In the early 50s, cigarettes were often considered to be the lady’s version of the manly cigar. Cigarettes were also sold under the pretense of having remarkable health benefits.
While this is bad enough, actually implying that your own baby would demand that you smoke is, literally, breathtaking.
Sun Lamps
There are enough health concerns today about sunlamp usage with modern equipment. Imagine a world that doesn’t have the same health & safety rules and regulations that we have today.
That world in the 50s and 60s, and what would you do if you thought your baby actually needed a perfect, even tan? Of course, you’d hold the nipper under a heat lamp for a while. Madness.
Terrible Parenting, Fabulous Swimsuits
It’s so good to see a healthy, happy couple enjoying themselves while walking on the water. If the image isn’t smug enough to be upsetting, the shameless neglect of the baby on the edge of the deep end ought to be. But who cares? Not while Barbie and Ken are looking so good in their swimming costumes.
Of course, that might not even be their baby. It might’ve been abandoned for not having an even enough tan.
Deep South Peanut Pie
We don’t even know where to start here. Is it the pie? Is it the kid? Okay, it’s the kid. Why is he naked, looking like he’s wearing a miniature Chippendales stripper outfit? I don’t like that look on his face either.
“Go ahead, try the pie, eat it. No, it’s perfectly fine. Perfectly. Fine. Go on… mmm.”
This is upsetting. So many questions. So much nudity. So many peanuts.
More Smoking!
There’s no polite way of saying it. These babies are hideous. Once again, it’s about babies getting you to smoke, but these babies? The message implies that the only thing that will stop them from crying is a cigarette.
We fail to understand why Duke of Durham brand cigarettes didn’t think that, smoking babies is a really, really bad idea, and if they did smoke, they could end up looking like creepy mutants.
What are the worst ads with babies in your opinion? Let us know in the comments below!
