Better Living Through Science

I love looking through old magazines, especially because of the ads.  If you do too, check out my old blog posts The Fabric of Our Lives and Sometimes It's Hard to be a Woman for some retro advertising fun.

This week I'm focusing on ads that raved about scientific advancements,
"modern" appliances and the latest chemicals that could make life easier, common themes in post World War II America.  Natural products, "green" living and organic farming weren't popular topics back then, to say the least.....

I think we've all heard of Bakelite, but what about Krene?  Krene was a flexible version of Bakelite that was made into shower curtains, table cloths, and faux leather upholstery:

 Corlon was a type of plastic that looked great on the floor, according the folks at Armstrong:

 "Marvelous acrylic plastic" made Nalplex an easy paint to use.  Back then, "low VOC" wasn't even in the vocabulary....

 GE touted their push-button controls and called their range a "speed cooking" range:

Pyrex-ware was hugely successful, wasn't it?  I can't imagine an estate sale without some Pyrex items in the mix.  As the ad below states, it's a "symbol of modern living" and a "product of Corning research."

 People were plagued with moths for so many years in their wool clothing and carpets, they were excited when man-made fibers such as Nylon and Rayon came along:

 With the current focus on natural foods, doesn't this ad for jam and jelly enriched with "dextrose" seem odd?

Masonite Presdwood.  This is how real wood started to become obsolete:

Did you know that margarine is naturally white?  Not very appetizing, is it?  Years ago, it was sold with a yellow dye tablet so one could mix the color in at home.  Later, companies began selling it pre-colored, like they do now.  And one more thing:  is Durkee Margarine made by the same company as Glidden Paint?  That seems a little weird to me.....

The famous Coppertone ad.  They claimed to have a chemical called "homomenthyl salicylate," a special screening agent that would activate the ultraviolet tanning rays deep within the skin and shut out rays that would burn and coarsen the skin......

 It's interesting to me how the focus of product advertising has changed so much.  Now all we hear about is "no artificial additives or preservatives", "all natural ingredients" and so on.  The notion that a team of scientists developed our food product is very unappealing.  After my experience years ago drinking Tang and eating Pillsbury Food Sticks, the same snacks the astronauts supposedly ate and drank, I have to agree. We want Grandpa Smucker's old recipe!

Comments

[Beth Leintz]

I grew up on Tang. My mom had a whole shelf full of those Tang pitchers! Another interesting post! Thanks Mitzi!

[Mitzi Curi]

I used to drink Tang too. Im not sure I could swallow a whole glass full now, though.....

Thanks for stopping by my blog, Beth!

Mitzi

[Colleen]

I always wonder what happened to all those products! Were they replaced by something newer or discontinued because no one bought them? But I want all those Pyrex pieces--they still look glamorous to me! Oh, and I still use Tang--I mix it with hot tea and a dash of cinnamon for a sore throat :)
Thanks, Mitzi!

[Mitzi Curi]

I didnt know Tang was still on the market! Wow, I must not be paying attention at the grocery store......and I agree about the Pyrex. It still has appeal.

Mitzi