Smart
By Shel SilversteinMy dad gave me one dollar bill
'Cause I'm his smartest son,
And I swapped it for two shiny quarters
'Cause two is more than one!
And then I took the quarters
And traded them to Lou
For three dimes -- I guess he didn't know
That three is more than two!
Just then, along came old blind Bates
And just 'cause he can't see
He gave me four nickels for my three dimes,
And four is more than three!
And then I took the nickels to Hiram Coombs
Down at the seed-feed store,
And the fool gave me five pennies for them,
And five is more than four!
And then I went and showed my dad,
And he got red in the cheeks
And closed his eyes and shook his head --
Too proud of me to speak!
Advertising is not only the art of selling a product, it’s also the art of conveying a specific message to a specific group of people in hopes they become customers time and again. With the rise of mass consumerism throughout the 20th century, advertising suddenly became as important, if not more important, than the actual product being sold. Here’s a look back at some of the more outrageous moments in advertising that left us thinking who possibly could have approved these for mass production…
1. All Tied Up
Year: 1951
If you want to claim your power and state your manliness, then, of course, you have no choice but to wear a men’s only tie. Right? This vintage advertisement tried to be punny, and touch on the subconscious of men. Thankfully, this wouldn’t fly today. Men wear ties to impress their wives, not to tie them down.