by Jonathan Marshall

It all really started in the 1960s – the Golden Age of Advertising. At a time when the consumerist euphoria of the fifties was still going strong and the race to the moon was in daily conversations. The mood of advertising in the sixties was cheerful, optimistic, and at times – revolutionary.

The decade’s ads hyped perceived progress (such as Tang-”just add water”) while striving to reinforce good ole’ American values. Stars like Sean Connery, Woody Allen, and Sammy Davis Jr. endorsed everything from sunglasses and Bourbon to handmade suits in an attempt by the Mad Men on Madison Avenue to employ Americans to open their wallets and participate in the largest consumer binge in history.

Evident social change at the end of the era liberated women and minorities to a never-before conscious public. From forgotten cars such as the Studebaker Avanti, and cigarettes (“Marlboro… a Man’s world of flavor”) to food, clothing, endless consumer products, furniture, travel, and much more.

Over the next few weeks, the JTCG Blog will be featuring standouts from a colorful collection of vintage print ads that explores the wide, insightful and influential world of American Advertising. From the time of it’s inception til now, the collection includes ads from the last 100 years on a website called Vintage AdBrowser, and serves as inspiration for Advertising agencies, graphic designers, web design and marketing professionals today.

If you enjoy scrolling through these ads as much as I do, feel free to suggest ads that you would like to see featured on the blog. If you are as convincing as the ad you suggest, we will chat about it. Enjoy.

by Jonathan Marshall

In honor of the seemingly-circular debate I had earlier this morning with Jess, today the JTCG Blog features the latest viral video from Coca-Cola…. or as I like to call it — the poor-man’s Pepsi. In a San Diego Web Design agency full of advertising, branding and marketing professionals, the Pepsi vs. Coca-Cola debate seems to be split right down the middle.

Both brands have been around for decades, they have been extremely successful international companies, and they have revolutionized and contributed to much of the work we see in creative advertising today.

Regardless of what brand you prefer, ultimately it comes down to taste… and if you long for the taste of syrup with a little water in it – clearly you will choose Coca-Cola. To me, nothing sounds better than Pepsi and pizza.

Nevertheless, Coca-Cola did a great job of getting people VERY interested in their vending machine… furthermore, the enormous sandwich is awesome!! I think I’m ready for lunch now…