1. Hai Karate Aftershave
Hai Karate was sold in the late ’60s and ’70s with ads promising it made men irresistible to women. Commercials even included self-defense instructions for fending off swarms of admirers. It was more comedy than cologne.
The bold claim made it a pop culture hit despite its modest scent. Today, the over-the-top marketing feels downright silly. But for a while, men splashed it on like liquid confidence.
2. Palmolive Dish Soap
Palmolive’s famous commercials featured actress Madge the manicurist insisting, “You’re soaking in it!” The claim was that washing dishes in Palmolive actually softened hands. Housewives were told they’d get beauty benefits while scrubbing pots.
It sounded too good to be true, but people bought in. The slogan stuck in memory even longer than the suds. Marketing genius made dish soap feel like skin care.
3. Geritol Tonic
Geritol commercials in the ’60s and ’70s claimed the supplement could cure “tired blood.” The message was that one spoonful a day restored energy and vigor. It was especially pitched to older adults.
In reality, Geritol was just an iron and vitamin tonic. While it helped some, the sweeping promises were misleading. Still, the name became shorthand for energy in a bottle.
4. Tab Diet Cola
Tab, Coca-Cola’s first diet soda, was marketed as a figure-slimming miracle. Ads promised that “beautiful people” drank Tab to stay trim. The pink can became a fashion accessory as much as a drink.
The marketing hinged on vanity rather than flavor. Though the taste divided fans, its bold claims worked. Tab became an icon of the diet craze era.
5. Sea Monkeys
Ads in comic books showed smiling little underwater families living in castles. Kids who mailed away their allowance expected magical creatures. What arrived was a packet of brine shrimp.
The wild claims were pure fantasy, but the fad took off. Children peered into fish bowls, hoping to see kingdoms come alive. The exaggeration remains one of the most famous marketing tricks ever.
6. Selsun Blue Shampoo
Selsun Blue was pitched in the ’70s as the miracle cure for dandruff. Commercials showed snow-like flakes vanishing instantly after one wash. The claim was that it worked better than anything else on the shelf.
The dramatic ads made people rush to buy it. While effective, it wasn’t quite the overnight wonder it promised. Still, it cemented itself as the “serious” dandruff solution.
7. Kool-Aid
Kool-Aid commercials in the ’60s and ’70s painted the drink as practically health food. Parents were told it was wholesome because it was full of “vitamin C goodness.” The iconic Kool-Aid Man bursting through walls only added to the hype.
The reality was a sugary drink with a vitamin boost. But the marketing made it sound nearly medicinal. Families bought in, and Kool-Aid became a staple in kitchens nationwide.
8. Brylcreem
Brylcreem ads repeated the catchy slogan, “A little dab’ll do ya.” The claim was that just a touch would keep hair perfectly styled all day. Men in commercials sported impossibly slick, shiny looks.
The wild promise came true—if you didn’t mind your hair feeling greasy. It was marketed as modern sophistication in a tube. The slogan is remembered even more than the product.
9. Wonder Bread
“Helps build strong bodies 12 ways” was Wonder Bread’s famous claim. The slogan promised supercharged nutrition packed into every slice. Families believed the white bread was a health booster.
In truth, it was enriched with vitamins but hardly a miracle. Still, the slogan stuck in American memory. Marketing turned ordinary bread into a supposed superfood.
10. Clairol Hair Color
Clairol ads in the ’60s assured women that “Only her hairdresser knows for sure.” The claim was that the dye looked so natural no one would suspect it wasn’t your real color. It was marketed as beauty with a secret.
The campaign changed the way women saw hair dye. The promise of invisible transformation was irresistible. It was one of the boldest—and most successful—marketing moves of its time.
11. Alka-Seltzer
Alka-Seltzer’s “plop, plop, fizz, fizz” campaign promised fast, almost magical relief from heartburn and indigestion. The commercials made the cure look fun, like a bubbling science experiment. The claim was near-instant comfort.
While it did provide relief, the ads oversold it as a miracle fix. Still, families swore by the tablets. The jingle remains one of the most remembered slogans in history.
12. Shake-A-Puddin’
This dessert mix came in little cups you shook until the powder turned into pudding. Ads promised fun, instant treats that kids could make themselves. The gimmick made it sound like a futuristic snack.
In practice, the results were often lumpy and disappointing. But the marketing worked—kids begged parents to buy it. The wild promise of “magic pudding” made it a short-lived sensation.
13. Blue Nun Wine
Blue Nun was heavily marketed in the ’60s and ’70s as the sophisticated choice for American families. Ads promised it paired with everything, from steak to seafood. It was sold as exotic and classy.
In truth, it was a sweet, simple German wine. But marketing made it feel worldly and chic. Families proudly served it at dinner parties, believing the hype.