A Few Things Have Changed

My dad is family famous for his email forwards. You know the emails I mean: hero stories, miracle stories, biased politics, funny pictures and videos (supposed to be anyway), amazing tales of crazy things that have happened (all of which require a two-second glance at Snopes to find out they’re not true : ).  I love the guy, but to be honest, who has time to read all those?

But earlier this week he sent out one titled “Old ads that wouldn’t be allowed today.” Alright, ya’ made me curious. I’ll look. I have to admit, a couple made me chuckle. Since we’re about food and health, I thought I’d pass along the ones from his email that were along that theme, plus a few others I found. You could say a few things have changed since these were put out.

Let’s start with health marketing aimed at the young ‘uns.

Do you think they could brag about this now?

You have to read the text on this one. I love the claim that “laboratory tests” have proven that drinking soda from a young age make you popular later on. We never had soda in the house (we were poor, not healthy). I finally know why I was such a dork.

More TV equals better behavior and higher grades in school? Hmm, this didn’t really work for me.

Now that would have been interesting. Obviously baby participates in those “benefits.” Not exactly the “pick up” that we hope for young mothers nowadays.

And how about weight loss? You know there have to be some doozies in that realm. Sure enough, there are.

Parasite in a pill? How could that not be a good idea?

Did people actually believe these ads???

What can’t sugar fix? Well, your health, or your weight, to name two. But it can give me willpower? Who knew?

Here are a few health claims and products from sources you just couldn’t have guessed.

Proof that it’s ok to question and disagree with your doctor. Today’s version of this is Kelli’s former rheumatologist who sternly told her, “Food has absolutely nothing to do with how you feel.” Yeah, we’re talking about you Gremillion.

I bet that cure’s instantaneous! And I’m sure they had plenty of repeat customers who just had to get their hands on more!

Really?

I mean, really?

Ok, this last one has nothing to do with health at all. Or maybe it does, if a guy said something like this today I imagine that could be very bad for his health.

Oh yes, things have changed.

Fifty years ago if you thought tobacco and margarine weren’t healthy you were considered a health nut. Turns out one causes cancer and the other is one of the biggest cause of heart disease (trans fats). Today a small but growing crowd believe that toxic chemicals in food products isn’t something anyone should eat, and those people are considered weird. Just give it a little time. A few years down the road people will look at the ingredients on a Hostess or Snackwells box, or those corn sugar ads that we see on TV today, and say, “Can you believe people used to eat that stuff?”  Yes, times will change. We hope. 🙂

All it takes is looking at who paid for the ad.