Have you seen the new (and creepy) Levi's "Unleash Your Beast" campaign yet? Just add it to the list of incredibly offensive advertisements.Take a look at these outrageous advertisements from the early 20th century, though, and it's clear that we've still come a long way. One of our favorite lines, from a 1938 Palmolive ad: "A wife can blame herself if she loses love by getting 'middle-age' skin!" Another helpfully reminds female readers that "Beauty is your duty."
Click through the gallery below for more gems, then tell us which one you think is most ridiculous. And e-mail us at editor@lemondrop.com if you've got one to share.
All ads pulled from Duke University Libraries' amazing digital collection.
Comments:
Add a comment
Friday 10 October
By cheerfull bastard
three cheers for Mr. America - hip hip -hooray, hip hip - hooray, hip hip -hooray!
Reply
Friday 10 October
By roland harbour sr
to bad there is no video-audio on singers
Reply
Friday 10 October
By dkreegs
I think the most offensive ad is the one about the man having to take
a bath when he gets home from work. I mean, really, he works his butt
off all day and the last thing he's worried about is having to take
his wife out dancing! The absurdity of it all! LOL What a joke.
When he gets home, his wife should have taken advantage of all those
other ads and have made herself clean, inside and out, and look
"pretty" for him and be ready to take care of him.
Oh, for the good old days to return!
Reply
Friday 10 October
By ME
Why don't You take a bath? Well, so normal folks don't have to smell the stink of you where ever you are & the sexist ramblings of your Toro
excretemento ramblings.
Friday 10 October
By dsjk61
Advertisers scare tactics. Back then few women worked. All were expected/pressured to be married and stay married. Now women can become educated and enjoy careers/jobs. If the guy's violent or a bum it's not a life sentence. 'Trust not in flesh, lest it turn and rend you.'
Reply
Friday 10 October
By Nel
Wow...I must say I wasn't ready for that rant Mr. America, but I would say I agree with the sentiment! What is so wrong with wanting the sensuous, soft and satin skin of a beautiful woman wanting to please her husband or the man in her life. Why is that wrong? Are you feminists so jealous of some of us really enjoying ourselves that you have to make up hatred. Please.....
Oh yes I forget this is "wrong and offensive" among male hating butch dykes and gay male fudge packers who so abhor we "sexual traditionalists" people who find sexual pleasure in men pleasing & fucking our beautiful and sensuous women and in women fucking and pleasing their male lovers-dah.
Why is wanting this now degraded we men to some "Neanderthal" status by our feminist media moguls?
Perhaps because so many feminists harbor so much anger and hatred about so much, we should be more careful about what really constitutes "Sexist" anything and who defines sexism in any form.
Stop the madness!
Reply
Friday 10 October
By ME
What planet are you from? Here on Earth normal (unlike you) people have a healthy respect of the opposite gender.
Saturday 11 October
By Kim
What's wrong is the double standard. So men don't have to take care of themselves and we're supposed to happy accept it and let you screw us with your rank, sticky, and hairy bodies? Get over yourself.
Now, if you take care of yourself so that your woman can enjoy a nice clean man in your bed, then that's fine. Don't expect a one-sided deal, pig.
Friday 10 October
By Laure
The ads of today are rather sexist and plain insulting telling women, you'd better sleep around and be a real tramp, if you don't do that, you aren't getting love... And also get your own salary so you can keep sleeping around and don't have to commit to anyone.. It's like matrimonial slavery, do everything a man wants and pay for yourself and be disposable... We came a long way... DOWN! Or parallel but forward? certainly not...
Reply
Friday 10 October
By Me
If males of your gender(?) placed a 2 lipped lock on your posterior: Bet you'd feel like you were going UP.
Friday 10 October
By I
i fail to see the problem. women should be seen and not heard. also, women shouldnt drive because there's no road from the bedroom to the kitchen. also, women shouldnt be allowed to vote because "what to make for dinner tonight" is not a political issue.
Reply
Friday 10 October
By Me
You just fail as a sentinent being.
Saturday 11 October
By Kim
Fail.
Saturday 11 October
By Mamaw
This is for byI
Oh my yes! I agree with everything you have said!!!! Finally, a REAL man!!!
Oh, and what to have for dinner would not be a political issue, it would be a legal one...Oh sorry dear, since I am seen and not HEARD, there is rat poison in your roast!
Saturday 11 October
By U
My goodness, your comments are so big, strong and intelligent - - - he -- hee hee, I can't stop laughing, sorry, laughing to hard at the butt wipe I he he haaaa haaaaaaaa.........
Friday 10 October
By Maynardmutt
Like rank ball sweat is any better...why dont you squeeze some soap in your palms before you play with your balls next time? Help everyone out a little.
Reply
Friday 10 October
By cdub
So whats the problem with the add?
Reply
Friday 10 October
By Belladonna
Is that what you really think?! Then by all means, go fuck your beautiful WHORES. I love my beloved more than ANYTHING but that doesn't mean I would tolerate being told how to act or feel or what to wear or anything like that! I can be sexy and very loving but there has to be a mutual respect! That doesn't mean they find me any less beautiful when I don't feel like dolling up and I don't reprimand them either. Human ideals of beauty are so pathetic it makes me want to show the darkness of it all over again. And don't me our damn roles are as pleasers and cooks and child-bearers! At the beginning of time, men and women were equal but then man went got a fucking ego! And so what if some people are gay or bi?! All of a sudden the ideals of beauty don't apply just because affections are applied not always at the opposite gender?! Fuck you. I have known gays and bis who can be just as shallow and sexist as anyone else. Grow up and get with the times because women not only are allowed to work and vote but often HAVE to do so. WOMEN ARE NOT THINGS! We are people, we have souls, and don't tell me we are weaker or less smart! You can shout off all the shit about history you want but women have always played the Shadow King, the puppet master behind the scenes. We're just open about it now as we should be. Get some goddamn education. SO ALL YOU SHALLOW INSIGNIFICANT MORTALS CAN DIE ALONE!!! I am OUT.
Reply
Saturday 11 October
By STEVE
FUCKING AWESOME REPLY...................
Friday 10 October
By me
A TRUE "Potty Mouth"
Reply