ADVERTISING

13 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Shark Tank

The minute their pitch is over, entrepreneurs sit down with a psychiatrist.

Les Waas, Writer of the Mister Softee Jingle

He was also president of the Procrastination Club of America.

The Deadly Pain Medicine Sold by Skeletons

At the end of the 1800s, one St. Louis company marketed their signature pain-relieving product with a series of macabre calendars.

Tiny Bottles Show You Only Need a Single Drop of Dishwashing Soap

This adorable publicity stunt proves that one drop is all you need.

A Revealing History of Lotto Scratch-Offs

John Koza decided to reinvent the lottery—from scratch.

The Many Lies of Joe Isuzu

How one of the most recognizable ad pitchmen of the 1980s got fired for being too popular.

10 Food Products That (Thankfully) Flopped

From Celery Jell-O to chocolate French fries, here are 10 foods that didn't have a very long shelf-life.

7 Movies That Had Mysterious Promotional Campaigns

Because knowing what a movie is about before seeing it is overrated.

10 Parents, Kids and Spouses of Popular Advertising Characters

You know the Pillsbury Doughboy, Elsie the Cow and Tony the Tiger, but can you name any of their relatives?

11 Ways Advertisers Make Food Look Delicious

Cedorris, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Isaac Asimov, Radio Shack Pitchman

At just $2687, Asimov found the TRS-80 "surprisingly affordable!" His face becoming a familiar sight to more than 30 million Americans browsing the latest and greatest products in Radio Shack's catalogs.

The Story Behind the Iconic Coca-Cola Bottle

How a major marketing problem ushered in a legendary design.

Man in the Moon: How Mac Tonight Became the Burger King

He sold a record number of Big Macs. Crowds mobbed him. So why did McDonald's have to retire his satin jacket early?

14 Things You Might Not Know About U-Haul

Lurking in their storage lockers: board room fistfights, an eccentric founder, and a murder mystery.

Watch 37 Minutes of Jim Henson's Early Commercial Work

Featuring muppet-on-muppet violence, fire, explosions, and a few characters you'll recognize.

Adjusted for Inflation: A History of the Reebok Pump

After manufacturing the first 7000 pairs, Reebok's warehouse made a frantic call: none of them would inflate.

6 Hallmark Products Greeted With Controversy

Swastika-patterned gift wrap doesn't always go over well. Who knew?

The Day Baby Ruths Rained Down on Pittsburgh

One day in 1923, the children of Pittsburgh had the best day ever.

The Origin of the Sports Illustrated Football Phone

In the 1990s, the magazine industry was having some issues. 'People' suffered a five percent drop in circulation in the first half of 1990; 'Sports Illustrated' dropped by seven percent that same year.

What Hägar the Horrible and the Chiquita Banana Girl Have in Common

… Featuring a catchy 1944 cartoon starring the one-and-only Ms. Banana.

Why Are Car Air Fresheners Shaped Like Trees?

Their inventor originally wanted them in the shape of a curvaceous, kneeling woman.

Listen to Kmart In-Store Music from 1992

Attention Kmart shoppers!

Hypoallergenic? Organic? 8 Product Terms That Don't Mean Much

Despite regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the manufacturers of food, drink, hygiene, and other products don’t always make it easy to understand what’s in your soda pop or sunblock—especially when the terms they use don’t actually

14 Unusual Ways McDonald's Did Business in the '60s

They didn't employ women, because they didn't possess the "stamina" to work the grill.

PREV NEXT