Leader Board Ad

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Ad Quiz #8 Solution...It's just a Vibrator...nothing to get hysterical about.

I found this ad entertaining on several levels. First and foremost is the horrible photo/illustration (heavy on the /). They have done such a poor job of drawing and shading his muscles that I was expecting to see a subliminal image emerge from his pecs and biceps. The indifferent look on his face and the angle of his head doesn't look natural. If I didn't read the ad copy I would assume this was an ad some sort of male nipple eraser, which it seems to do rather well.

There were quite a few health enhancers in the early 20th century, just like there are now, except it was a softer sell back then. Now everyone is trying to force their medications and devices down your throat. This is why I appreciate these old ads. Their pretentiousness seems so obvious that no one could be fooled by them, and these could have been regarded like the Sunday comix section. Unfortunately, seeing something like this in black and white was probably enough to fool most of the people most of the time.

If you take the time to read the ad, you will be continually blasted by false promises and meaningless claims. My favorite: Nine out of ten people are only half alive. And tied for first place: Your self-respect...will be increased a hundredfold. Well, the White Cross Vibrator not only provided all the healthful benefits of vibration, but galvanic and faradic jolts of electricity as well. It seems to me with all the stimulation this provides, you may just be happy to be half alive when it's over, which would bring an obvious increase in self-respect for having survived it.

These were used as part of the medical profession's answer to curing women's "troubles".  Selling these units to doctors to cure fits of hysteria in women was commonplace...until the first porn film arrived in the 1920's demonizing the vibrator. By the end of the sexual revolution in the 70's the vibrator was considered "ok" again. Now, everyone can know the benefits and healing arts of vibration through cell phones, unless it's someone that you really don't want to talk to - also known as - buzz-kill. 

There is a great museum for this technology and gadgetology in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Turn of the Century Electrotherapy Museum has a vast collection of the instruments and history of these devices, many of which were spurred by the burgeoning industry surrounding electricity. It's worth a look.

I found that site by searching for the last part of the ad, the book that's yours for FREE, with no obligation. The book of "Health and Beauty" is the perfect come-on if you haven't been sold but still want something for reading through the whole ad. Go here to see the full book and the letter that accompanied it. In short, the book's full title is: "Health and Beauty...and how it is obtained through Vibration." It's the ultimate infomercial gotcha!

2 comments:

  1. Good find Greg. I've never seen someone use a pencil sharpener to sculpt their body. Bob

    ReplyDelete
  2. Who knew a vibrator could cure weak eyes and deafness? There's a book you might know about called Technology of Orgasm that is the history of the vibrator.

    ReplyDelete

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