Adverts from the past: funny, artistic, elegant, beautiful

WE PUT up with so many annoying ads these days. It just didn’t happen in the past. These beautiful old ads will make you wish for a time machine.

A Japanese Kawasaki motorbike advert from 1967 conveyed Sixties exuberance. Picture: OldSchoolAds

WHILE modern-day advertisements can be tacky and annoying, vintage ads were often genuine works of art.

These beautiful posters from the 1900s to 1980s demonstrate just how much attention and care went in to creating every piece of promotional material.

MORE: Cameras evolve under selfie power

Marketing was a new creative outlet for 20th-century artists, and without digital techniques, designers often had to bring a concept to life completely by hand.

The National Safety Council of Australia issues a warning in 1980. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Levi’s “Feelin’ fine” jeans introduced us to “soft stretch denim” — and we’ve never looked back. Picture: OldSchoolAds

In hindsight, a rather embarrassing 1982 gig for former cricketer Rod Marsh. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Probably not the tape deck you’ll be leaving your great-grandson. Picture: OldSchoolAds

This advert from 1972 embraces perspective to show off classic Seventies style. Picture: OldSchoolAds

The striking imagery ranges from quirky drawings, to experiments with typography to the introduction of photography. Each poster showcases an individual style, humour or elegance.

The adverts were collated by John Aiello from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, who has been posting to Twitter account @oldschoolads for around a year.

“I’ve been collecting ads since the mid-nineties and swapping ads online for years,” he says. “The print ads today are not like the ads from the past. That isn’t a knock against today’s advertising, some contemporary ads are absolutely brilliant, but most of the best work is devoted to television.

A 1969 ad by airline Pan Am takes psychedelic British pop art as its inspiration. Picture: OldSchoolAds

A Japanese Kawasaki motorbike advert from 1967 conveyed Sixties exuberance. Picture: OldSchoolAds

That’s right — in 1967 there was a competition to win Spock’s ears. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Qantas ads look pretty different today from how they did in 1957. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Coca-Cola turned to Shakespeare to give the drink an air of quality in 1950. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Air France created this beautiful vision of Europe in 1948. Picture: OldSchoolAds

“The best ads today are saved for the Super Bowl or the Oscars. Seventy years ago, the best ads were seen weekly in The Saturday Evening Post or Life Magazine. I’m happy I can help keep those ads alive.”

“Some of the best artwork of the past century exists in Air France or Coca-Cola ads.”

The account has amassed almost 9000 followers, and John is about to start a website, which he hopes will serves as “an online museum dedicated to advertising”.

“I think you can tell a lot about a society looking at older ads,” he says. “I enjoy weird ads or ads for weird products. Some ads have to be seen to be believed!”

For more vintage adverts, follow @OldSchoolAds on Twitter.

This flu remedy poster from 1931 brings the era of bowler hats and pipes to life. Picture: OldSchoolAds

In 1930, Australians were introduced to a speedier travel option than a camel. Picture: OldSchoolAds

The Michelin man in his original incarnation back in 1925. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Some sentiments remain recognisable almost 100 years after 1919. Picture: OldSchoolAds

In 1916, men were encouraged to give up the surf for the war effort. Picture: OldSchoolAds

This Kodak advert from 1905 looks influenced by a Renoir painting. Picture: OldSchoolAds

Originally published as Adverts from the past: funny, artistic, elegant, beautiful